The Cloud Factor: How Vanishing Low Clouds Are Amplifying Global Warming

[Social Media]

 

Last year shattered heat records, with oceans simmering, glaciers retreating at unprecedented rates, and the global climate seemingly spiraling into uncharted territory. Scientists attribute this extraordinary warming to a blend of factors, primarily the relentless burning of fossil fuels and the natural climate pattern El Niño. However, these explanations alone could not account for the steep temperature rise, leaving researchers searching for missing pieces in the puzzle.  

 

A groundbreaking study published in the journal *Science* may now provide that crucial piece: the role of low-lying clouds. According to the research, the rapid warming has been significantly intensified by a dramatic reduction in these bright, reflective clouds over the oceans. Helge Goessling, a climate physicist at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany and a co-author of the study, explained that with fewer low clouds, the planet has "darkened," allowing it to absorb more sunlight.  

 

This phenomenon ties into Earth's "albedo," the capacity of surfaces to reflect sunlight back into space. Declining albedo has been a known issue since the 1970s, partly driven by the melting of reflective ice and snow, which exposes darker surfaces that absorb heat. Low-lying clouds have played a key role in mitigating this effect by reflecting solar energy.  

 

However, the study reveals that low cloud cover reached record lows last year, significantly reducing Earth's albedo. The researchers analyzed data from NASA satellites, climate models, and weather patterns, identifying significant declines in cloud cover over areas such as the North Atlantic Ocean. Goessling noted that this decrease aligns with a decade-long trend, though the precise reasons behind it remain elusive.  

 

“It’s such a complex beast and so hard to disentangle,” Goessling remarked. He proposed that multiple factors might be at play. Regulatory measures aimed at reducing sulfur emissions from shipping—a success for air quality and human health—may have inadvertently played a role by reducing pollution that once brightened clouds and cooled the planet.  

 

Natural climate variability, including changes in ocean patterns, could also be influencing cloud behavior. But perhaps the most concerning factor is global warming itself. Low clouds thrive in cool, moist conditions, and as surface temperatures rise, these clouds may thin or vanish entirely. This creates a dangerous feedback loop where global warming causes cloud loss, and the loss of clouds further accelerates warming.  

 

If this mechanism proves to be significant, it could mean that current projections of future warming are underestimating the severity of the situation. "We should expect rather intense warming in the future," Goessling warned.  

 

Mark Zalinka, an atmospheric scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, underscored the critical role of clouds in regulating Earth's climate, likening them to "Earth’s sunscreen." Even small shifts in cloud cover, he explained, can dramatically alter the planet's albedo.  

 

Tapio Schneider, a climate scientist at the California Institute of Technology, emphasized the troubling implications of the study. If global warming is a major driver behind the reduction in cloud cover, the world could face "stronger global warming than previously predicted."  

 

Despite their seemingly simple nature, clouds remain one of the most complex and least understood components of the climate system. Goessling described them as “one of the biggest headaches” in climate science. Yet, as Zalinka noted, understanding how clouds respond to warming is critical: “It literally determines how much future warming is in store.”  

 

The findings add a new layer of urgency to global efforts to curb emissions and mitigate climate change. Without action, the disappearance of low-lying clouds may further accelerate the already alarming pace of global warming.

 

Based on a report by CNN 2024-12-07

 

 

 

[Cryingdick]

Those low clouds are keeping me down and stealing my highs. I am heading out now to super glues myself to a runway.

[roquefort]

“It’s such a complex beast and so hard to disentangle,” Goessling remarked. He proposed that multiple factors might be at play. Regulatory measures aimed at reducing sulfur emissions from shipping—a success for air quality and human health—may have inadvertently played a role by reducing pollution that once brightened clouds and cooled the planet.  

 

This one paragraph proves that there is no such thing as a 'scientific consensus' on climate change. They really haven't got a clue what's causing it, or even if there is anything at play other than normal cycles of warming and cooling that have been occurring for millennia.

 

And no, I'm not a denier, just a seeker after truth who knows it won't be found in paid-for 'climate emergency' propaganda.

[digger70]

14 hours ago, Social Media said:

Last year shattered heat records, with oceans simmering, glaciers retreating at unprecedented rates, and the global climate seemingly spiraling into uncharted territory. Scientists attribute this extraordinary warming to a blend of factors, primarily the relentless burning of fossil fuels and the natural climate pattern El Niño. However, these explanations alone could not account for the steep temperature rise, leaving researchers searching for missing pieces in the puzzle.  

In other words .

They don't know what is going on . (they don't want to know)

The missing pieces in the puzzle  are : Its a natural Phenomena. 

 

Therefore natural phenomena are those that occur in nature without human involvement.

[JonnyF]

CNN shilling for the doomsday cult in order to promote their globalist socialist agenda.

 

What a surprise. 

 

I'm sure they have polls to show 99% of Americans believe them, confirmed by BBC Verify. 🤣