An Examination of Global Warming

Existing and Expected Evidence in and around Washington

Judy ThompsonMeteorology

August 14, 2010

What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth’s average surface temperature over the past century primarily due to the greenhouse gases released by people burning fossil fuels.

Link to Explanation of Global Warning

Definitions

Greenhouse gases -- Those gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride, that are transparent to solar (short-wave) radiation but opaque to long-wave (infrared) radiation, thus preventing long-wave radiant energy from leaving Earth's atmosphere. The net effect is a trapping of absorbed radiation and a tendency to warm the planet's surface (McCracken).

The Oregon Project

("Ten Indicators of a Warming World from the NOAA")

Raising Surface Air Temperature

It was my intent to show a histogram for temperatures in Clark Country going back at least 100 years. I was not able to find this data.

Evidence of Raising Sea Levels

in Washington State

Extremely high tides on the Washington Coast line and the impact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk0nvIk3SJ0

Actual Tide for Seattle January 5,

2009

Actual Tides for Seattle January 5,

2010

Tide Prediction for Seattle on January

5, 2010

Sea Level Trends for Seattle Washington

Evidence of Global Warning in

Washington State According to the Washington State

Department of Ecology’s web site

“….more than 50 glaciers have disappeared from the Cascade Mountains, sea levels are changing along Washington’s coastlines and snowpack totals are expected to decline by 40 percent by 2040. “

Evidence of Glaciers Disappearing in Washington

Works Cited Anonymous, . "Global Warming Petition Project.” N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Aug 2010. <http:

www.petitionproject.org/.

Anonymous, . "Center of Operational Oceanographic Products." NOAA Tides and Currents. NOAA, n.d. Web. 17 Aug 2010. <http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/index.shtml>.Ten Indicators of a Warming World." NOAA: Last decade was warmest. Web. 6 Aug 2010. <http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/green-house/2010/07/28/NOAAx-large.jpg>.

Anonymous, . "South Cacade Glacier." USGS, Science for a Changing World. USGS, 27 Feb 2009. Web. 14 Aug 2010. <http://ak.water.usgs.gov/glaciology/south_cascade/index.html>.

Preston, Seth. "Climate Change in Washington State." Department of EcologMcCracken, M. "Definition of Greenhouse gases.” teachmefinance. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Aug 2010. <http://www.teachmefinance.com/ Scientific_Terms/Greenhouse_

State of Washington. DOE, 27 Feb 2009. Web. 14 Aug 2010. <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/index.htm>.

Preston, Seth. "Data on Climate Change." Message to Judy Thompson. 17 Aug 2010. E-mail.