Global Warming and the Weather Channel

`The weather channel's Dr. Heidi Cullen made a statement that all meteorologists that don't buy in to global warming should not receive AMS certification. This has sparked quite a debate among the nation's weather people.

As it should have, because global warming is not a definite conclusion, it is a sound theory. The world we live in is a vast reservoir capable of with standing a lot of abuse. That is a very good thing as man has been pretty abusive of his environment.

Cooling trends typically follows weather-warming trends. These trends may be a few years or a few decades. The 100-year storm reference was coined for a reason. Weather can have very long cycles before repetition. Random events like major volcanic eruptions can change weather patterns for years. The lack of major volcanic eruptions over a prolonged period can change conditions as well. There are a lot of variables that affect the weather of our planet.

So for Dr.Cullen to imply that if you don't believe in global warming you don't deserve to be a meteorologist is a bit disconcerting for me.

The greenhouse effect describes how carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced through man's industry can cause a warming of the average planetary temperature. This is as sound theory based on the effect that higher than normal level of these gases can produce planetary warming. It is still a theory.

Global warming, which is a much better sound bite than the greenhouse effect has been endorsed by the most famous of all American scientists, Al Gore. One of my primary beliefs is that a politician's lips are moving that is a good indication the politician is lying. This makes it difficult for me to jump on Gore's bandwagon.

I try to obtain the scientific data that I rely on from better sources. I also view scientific news releases with a little skepticism. Announcements like the discovery of cold fusion should be viewed with a little caution in my opinion.