Tag: Facts

German Prof On German Floods: “Difference Between Facts And Political Narratives Is Breathtaking.”

As Germany’s flooding takes hold, the media have been quick to seize upon the extreme weather as proof of the climate crisis. But the data show us that it’s normal bad weather that’s also been seen many times before in the past. 

From NoTricksZone

By P Gosselin on 5. January 2024

As Germany’s flooding takes hold, the media have been quick to seize upon the extreme weather as proof of the climate crisis. But the data show us that it’s normal bad weather that’s also been seen many times before in the past. 

Yet, despite the widespread flooding, there are those who still believe that flooded north Germany is still suffering from severe to exceptional drought.

Not unprecedented

But the media have not wasted time in spinning the latest flooding as another sign of climate change. “Never have we seen such amount of rain in such a short period”, or, “it’s more proof the weather is getting increasingly extreme”.

All of it of course is just lots of click-baiting hype. 

No significant rainfall trend since 1881

As retired professor Stefan Homburg pointed out at Twitter: “More rain than usual, but not a record. The number of heavy rain days was also within the normal range. Neither “droughts” nor “extreme weather” are recognizable in the official statistics. The difference between facts and political narratives is breathtaking.”

He presents two charts from the DWD German national weather service. The first is the total annual precipitation in millimeters since 1881.

Source: DWD.de

The second chart shows the number of days with rally heavy rainfall each year. As readers will see, annual rainfall has in fact increased modestly, thus refuting claims Germany will get drier in the future, and extreme weather events as defined by very rainy days shows no real trend.

In other words, claims that the heavy rainfall over the past weeks is a sign of climate change is an absolute nothing-burger.

Drought is over, until the next one

Here where I live in northern Germany, I’ve been tracking monthly rainfall for about 3 and half years using a simple measurement cup from the local garden center. Here’s what I’ve recorded so far:

Chart: NoTricksZone

The chart clearly depicts how the months of October, November and December were very wet, with just under 500 mm of precipitation. This rain will more than compensate for the drought period seen earlier, especially in 2022.

Most of Germany at the moment is a soaked sponge.

How (Not) to talk with children about climate change

It is not clear who the video is aimed at, but given the babyish cartoons it certainly is not adults. And if it is kids, then the BBC is insulting their intelligence be presuming that they are incapable of being given the facts.

From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

By Paul Homewood

The BBC’s mission is to inform, educate and entertain.

This latest video does none of these things, and is nothing but indoctrination:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/how-to-talk-with-children-about-climate-change/p0fgdjtz

It is not clear who the video is aimed at, but given the babyish cartoons it certainly is not adults. And if it is kids, then the BBC is insulting their intelligence be presuming that they are incapable of being given the facts.

So, for the sake of the BBC and the soppy psychotherapist who helped make the video, here is a simple guide for talking to children about climate change:

  • Give them the facts
  • Explain that there have always been bad weather and disasters, and that many more people used to die from them.
  • Tell them that the world is not going to end tomorrow, and no serious scientist says it will.
  • Remind them that they are much better off in all sorts of ways than any other generation in human history, all thanks to fossil fuels.
  • Show them how our environment is now much cleaner than it has been for centuries
  • Point out that this country and the West in general have already made big strides in reducing emissions.
  • Also explain that developing countries want more fossil fuels, so that their inhabitants can share some of the things children in this country take for granted.

And, by the way, tell them that there are many more polar bears around than there were before they were born!

No, Great Britain News, 20°C Temperatures Will Not Cause Britons To ‘Bake in a Heat Wave’

Although the headline implies that the mini-heatwave is dangerous, “UK weather: Mini-heatwave to see Britons bake in 20C heat as hot air sweeps in from Europe,” data and the story itself say nothing of the kind.

From ClimateRealism

By Anthony Watts

Great Britain News (GBN) which advertises itself as “Britain’s News Channel,” recently ran a story claiming that warm temperatures which are forecast to soon arrive will cause residents of Britain to swelter or bake. Warmer temperatures are to be expected as the northern hemisphere transitions from winter into spring and summer, there is nothing alarming or unusual about it. Although the headline implies that the mini-heatwave is dangerous, “UK weather: Mini-heatwave to see Britons bake in 20C heat as hot air sweeps in from Europe,” data and the story itself say nothing of the kind.

The GBN article, which was picked up by other news outlets including The Express, and The Mirror, states:

A mini-heatwave is set to sweep across the UK with forecasters predicting temperatures above the 20C mark in just a matter of weeks.

The Met Office says a hot, humid plume of air arriving from Spain and France will mean temperatures will heat up towards the end of April.

The “baking heat wave” headline might look alarming to those that are unfamiliar with temperature scales taught in elementary school Grade 5, but to anyone that even knows a bare minimum about temperature scales, the headline is laughable.

The reason the headline is laughable can be found in a simple Google Search:

You read that right, 20°C is the same as 68°F – in other words, indoor room temperature. It seems that the GBN reporter, Georgina Cutler, or possibly the editors who determined the headline, fail to understand that room temperature is what the majority of people find comfortable.

This graphic, from Science Notes, shows the range of comfortable room temperatures as defined by three different organizations. They say:

“Room temperature is the temperature or range of temperatures comfortable to people. It may be defined in science, but in practice it’s 20 to 22 degrees Celsius or 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Note that 20°C (68°F) is at the low end of the scale in the graphic above, some people might find it a bit cool.

The GBN implied dangerous temperatures were pending through the use of certain colors in the graphic it provided. The GBN story provided no color key for its temperature chart (seen below) making the chart look like the UK would “bake,” as claimed in the headline.

For comparison, here is what the actual chart of temperature looks like for April 19th, just two days after the GBN story aired, from the very same source:

WXCharts.com

So much for that “baking” heat wave.

Indeed, despite the alarm inducing headline, the story itself acknowledges, warmer weather is overdue and that most people will likely welcome it.

The GBN quotes British Weather Services meteorologist Jim Dale saying, “[a] very warm or hot spell is becoming overdue.” Also, GBN quotes Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon saying, “After what’s been an unsettled spell, it will finally feel like we are getting into the later part of spring, towards more of a summery regime. The temperatures will feel quite pleasant.”

This sad affair illustrates just how bad the media is at reporting basic facts about weather, much less climate. One must ask, why did the sensational, attention-grabbing headline not reflect what the story actually reported, which was that pleasant spring warming was finally on its way after an unpleasant winter.

Anthony Watts

Anthony Watts is a senior fellow for environment and climate at The Heartland Institute.

Watts has been in the weather business both in front of, and behind the camera as an on-air television meteorologist since 1978, and currently does daily radio forecasts.

He has created weather graphics presentation systems for television, specialized weather instrumentation, as well as co-authored peer-reviewed papers on climate issues.

He operates the most viewed website in the world on climate, the award-winning website wattsupwiththat.com.