A lot of information about global warming gets slung around from both sides of the issue. Some argue against climate models while others see the merit in climate models.
Just so that we are all on the same page I would like to propose the following simple questions to those amongst who have an educated insight into global warming, in particular, to the one’s most familiar with climate models.
1. Will global warming increase or decrease rainfall?
Yes, in some areas there will be. In others, there will be a decrease. Why? Because rainfall is dependent on many factors other than temperature.
2. Will global warming increase or decrease evaporation?
Yes, in some areas. In semi-arid areas, where soil moisture etc is critically dependent on plant processes, evaporation may not be affected. Evaporation also won’t be affected in areas where average temperatures decrease, and there will be areas like that.
3. Will the average gradient between the poles and the equator slacken?
Sometimes. Sometimes not.
4. Will this impact the weather?
Maybe. Much depends on other factors. Severe local storms still occur even during the summer when there isn’t a strong equator-pole gradient.
5. Will global warming increase or decrease global average cloud coverage?
Yes and no. Cloud is also not something that is produced simply through temperature processes. There are myriad other factors that come into play. For example, if there were to be a shift in the general circulation over North America, such that the westerlies weren’t as dominant as say a northerly flow, you could well see increases in boundary layer cloud at certain times of the year and decreases in upper level moisture.
6. Should these changes be observed in a climate model?
Not necessarily. Climate models don’t model the state of the atmosphere in fine detail and many of the processes in involved in your questions are not features that can be adequately captured at the resolutions of a climate model. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t tantalizing hints in the output, much the same way that one can deduce the presense of thunderstorms in a weather prediction model even though the processes involved are taking place at scales below the effective resolution of the model.
7. Will global warming cause sea levels to rise or fall in both the long term and short term?
Yes. Sea-levels are rising, but much depends on the Antarctic ice sheets.
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, I rate this post for four from five. Detailed info, but I have to go to that damn google to find the missed bits. Thanks, anyway!