The Weather Company The Weather Company and Climate Changeand Climate Change

The Weather Company The Weather Company and Climate Changeand Climate Change

Dr. Jeff MastersDr. Jeff MastersDirector of Meteorology Director of Meteorology The Weather UndergroundThe Weather Undergroundhttp://www.wunderground.comhttp://www.wunderground.com

Dr. Jeff MastersDr. Jeff MastersDirector of Meteorology Director of Meteorology The Weather UndergroundThe Weather Undergroundhttp://www.wunderground.comhttp://www.wunderground.com

Wunderground’s Climate Change Page: Customized to Where You LiveWunderground’s Climate Change Page: Customized to Where You Live

Weather.com Environment News Section Launched in 2013Weather.com Environment News Section Launched in 2013

Weather Channel On-Air Climate Change Stories, Jan – Jun 2013Weather Channel On-Air Climate Change Stories, Jan – Jun 2013

October 2013: Weather Channel Airs the 6-Part “Tipping Points” SeriesOctober 2013: Weather Channel Airs the 6-Part “Tipping Points” Series

Live Coverage of President Obama’s June 2013 Climate SpeechLive Coverage of President Obama’s June 2013 Climate Speech

Climate Conversation at SxSW, 2013, in Austin With Actor Adrian Climate Conversation at SxSW, 2013, in Austin With Actor Adrian GrenierGrenier

Live Coverage of the September 2013 Release of the IPCC ReportLive Coverage of the September 2013 Release of the IPCC Report

When talking about climate change, audience When talking about climate change, audience research shows that it is most important to research shows that it is most important to emphasize that based on the evidence,emphasize that based on the evidence,

1) Earth's climate is warming.1) Earth's climate is warming.2) This time, humans are mostly responsible.2) This time, humans are mostly responsible.3) 97% of climate scientists agree. 3) 97% of climate scientists agree. 4) The warming climate is already causing significant 4) The warming climate is already causing significant impacts to people and ecosystems.impacts to people and ecosystems.5) There are choices we can make now to reduce the 5) There are choices we can make now to reduce the severity of future impacts. severity of future impacts. These points are put at the top of wunderground’sThese points are put at the top of wunderground’sClimate Change page as our Position Statement, at:Climate Change page as our Position Statement, at:http://www.wunderground.com/climate/http://www.wunderground.com/climate/

How Does One Communicate How Does One Communicate Effectively to the Public? Don’t Effectively to the Public? Don’t be Such a Scientist. Tell be Such a Scientist. Tell Stories, Use Metaphors. Arouse Stories, Use Metaphors. Arouse and Fulfill!and Fulfill!

Lessons from climatecommunication.org:Lessons from climatecommunication.org:

The public will respond to simple, clear messages,The public will respond to simple, clear messages,repeated by a variety of trusted sources. repeated by a variety of trusted sources.

Bad words:Bad words: Replace with:Replace with:AnthropogenicAnthropogenic Human-causedHuman-causedRadiationRadiation Solar energySolar energyGreenhouse gasesGreenhouse gases Heat-trapping gasesHeat-trapping gasesEnhanceEnhance IncreaseIncreaseAnomalyAnomaly Departure from averageDeparture from average

Tell people about solutions. Use the analogy of Tell people about solutions. Use the analogy of The Little Engine That Could, not Chicken Little. The Little Engine That Could, not Chicken Little.

Q:Q: Why is there such widespread doubt that Earth's climate is Why is there such widespread doubt that Earth's climate is warming, humans are mostly responsible, and the overwhelming warming, humans are mostly responsible, and the overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree?majority of climate scientists agree?

A:A: Because of a well-funded PR campaign by the oil, coal, and gas Because of a well-funded PR campaign by the oil, coal, and gas industries, amplified by sympathetic media outlets and politicians. industries, amplified by sympathetic media outlets and politicians. Most of the public is in no position to distinguish good science from Most of the public is in no position to distinguish good science from bad, so if you can create doubt, uncertainty, and confusion, you can bad, so if you can create doubt, uncertainty, and confusion, you can win.win.

From 2003 to 2010, $500 million was given to anti-climate From 2003 to 2010, $500 million was given to anti-climate science organizations by the fossil fuel industry. Biggest donors: science organizations by the fossil fuel industry. Biggest donors: Koch Foundation, Koch Foundation, Scaife FoundationScaife Foundation, , Donors Trust. Donors Trust.

Source:Source: Drexel University sociologist Dr. Robert Brulle on PBS’s FRONTLINE show, October 2012

Earth’s Climate: Where are We at, Earth’s Climate: Where are We at, and Where are We Headed?and Where are We Headed?

Earth’s Climate: Where are We at, Earth’s Climate: Where are We at, and Where are We Headed?and Where are We Headed?

Developed a Climate Change Slide Show for a Weather Developed a Climate Change Slide Show for a Weather Channel Company-wide Presentation, Available at:Channel Company-wide Presentation, Available at:

http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/2013/climatetalk.ppthttp://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/2013/climatetalk.ppt

Developed a Climate Change Slide Show for a Weather Developed a Climate Change Slide Show for a Weather Channel Company-wide Presentation, Available at:Channel Company-wide Presentation, Available at:

http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/2013/climatetalk.ppthttp://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/2013/climatetalk.ppt

Plants and Animals are Responding to a Warming Plants and Animals are Responding to a Warming ClimateClimate

Spring is springing forward: Spring is springing forward: Spring events, like bird and butterfly migrations, Spring events, like bird and butterfly migrations, flower blooming times, and frog mating, have been advancing by about three days flower blooming times, and frog mating, have been advancing by about three days per decade over the past 30 years. per decade over the past 30 years.

Source:Source: Jeong et al., 2011, “Phenology shifts at start vs. end of growing season in temperate vegetation over the Northern Hemisphere for the period 1982–2008”

Fall is falling back: Fall is falling back: From 2000 - 2008, the end of the growing season was From 2000 - 2008, the end of the growing season was delayed by 2.3 days. In the U.S., fall now occurs ten days later than it did 30 years delayed by 2.3 days. In the U.S., fall now occurs ten days later than it did 30 years ago.ago.

Extremes Have been Rising Since the 1970s, and the TExtremes Have been Rising Since the 1970s, and the Twwo Most Extreme o Most Extreme Years in U.S. History Were Also the Two Warmest Years: 2012 and 1998Years in U.S. History Were Also the Two Warmest Years: 2012 and 1998

Extreme Summer Jet Stream Patterns Have Extreme Summer Jet Stream Patterns Have Doubled in Frequency in the Past 11 YearsDoubled in Frequency in the Past 11 Years

Climate Change’s 3rd Greatest Threat: More Climate Change’s 3rd Greatest Threat: More Extreme Fresh Water FloodsExtreme Fresh Water Floods

A 1-in-200-year Flood Like the 1862 California A 1-in-200-year Flood Like the 1862 California ““Arkstorm” May be a 1-in-60-year Flood by 2100Arkstorm” May be a 1-in-60-year Flood by 2100

Climate Change’s 2Climate Change’s 2ndnd Greatest Threat: Sea Greatest Threat: Sea Level Rise Combined With Stronger StormsLevel Rise Combined With Stronger Storms

•Expect a 5% increase in hurricane winds per °C of ocean warming (Emanuel, 2005).

•Expected increase in SST by 2100: 1-2 °C.

•Hurricane wind speeds should increase by 5-10%.

•Difference in wind speed between a Cat 3 and Cat 4: 15%.

•Thus, major hurricanes in 2100 should do 1.5 - 3 times more damage than they do now.

Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, N.J. on Oct. 30, 2012, after Hurricane Sandy.Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, N.J. on Oct. 30, 2012, after Hurricane Sandy.

Climate Change’s Greatest Threat: DroughtClimate Change’s Greatest Threat: Drought

Lake Oroville, California, January 2014Lake Oroville, California, January 2014

2012 Drought: 123 killed, $30 billion in damage

Dust Bowl Drought: 5,000 killed, 2.5 million people displaced

The future of drought, 30 years from now?

““We are already observing signs of We are already observing signs of instability within the climate system. There instability within the climate system. There is no assurance that the rate of greenhouse is no assurance that the rate of greenhouse gas buildup will not force the system to gas buildup will not force the system to oscillate erratically and yield significant oscillate erratically and yield significant and punishing surprises.” and punishing surprises.”

--- Harvard climate scientists Paul Epstein and James McCarthy in - Harvard climate scientists Paul Epstein and James McCarthy in “Assessing Climate Instability", Bulletin of the American Meteorological “Assessing Climate Instability", Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 2004. Society, 2004.

Hurricane Sandy, Oct 28, Hurricane Sandy, Oct 28, 2012 2012

Mother Nature’s new weather dice:Mother Nature’s new weather dice:

It is now possible to roll a “13”!It is now possible to roll a “13”!

But There is Reason to be Optimistic—Many Dedicated Creative People are Working on Solutions

Solar Vortex concept,developed at GeorgiaTech, uses dust devillike vorticies to turn Turbine blades and generate power

Send us your wunderphotos,Send us your wunderphotos,http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/jmasters@wunderground.comjmasters@wunderground.comMy Sample Climate Change Talk:My Sample Climate Change Talk:http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/2013/climatetalk.ppthttp://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/2013/climatetalk.ppt

Thanks for listening!Thanks for listening!