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Why Are So Many TV Meteorologists and Weathercasters Climate 'Skeptics'? Editor's note: it would be more useful to you to read Lis Cohen's column, "A Letter From Lis" before proceeding. The Minneapolis Star Tribune
reported in May that despite some broadcast
meteorologists' belief that long term climate change is not their area of
expertise, Minneapolis forecasters are still speaking out on the issue and
"most of them are landing on the side of the skeptics." Pending Surveys May Shed LightAt a time when most climate scientists - as reflected in the IPCC's 2007 reports - express growing certainty that Earth is warming, that humans are largely responsible, and that consequences may be severe, why do so many television weathercasters appear to think otherwise? "It does seem that a larger proportion of broadcast meteorologists are climate change skeptics than is the case with meteorologists as a whole, but we really don't know what either percentage really is, and if it is true, we certainly don't know why," said Ronald McPherson, executive director emeritus of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). If some large percentage of broadcast weathercasters are indeed skeptics, McPherson said in a phone interview that he suspects there are probably multiple reasons.
More light is expected to be shed on those factors by two separate surveys of broadcast meteorologists' attitudes on climate change, which have been conducted recently. Results of both are scheduled to be presented at the AMS 36th Conference on Broadcast Meteorology, June 25-29 in Denver. One survey was carried out by Kris Wilson of the Emory University Journalism Program for the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), which collaborates with the AMS Station Scientist effort. Station Scientist promotes "the notion of regarding broadcast meteorologists as the 'station scientists,' and equipping them to cover a broader range of science topics for their station, in addition to tomorrow's weather." "We feel working broadcast meteorologists present a unique opportunity as untapped messengers" who can help elevate public understanding of environmental issues, said Deborah Sliter, NEEF vice president for programs, in a phone interview. The climate course will help weathercasters answer questions directed to them about whether a particular weather event is linked to climate change, Sliter said. "Because so many of them have no background in climate science - as they do in meteorology and atmospheric sciences - it will give them information to talk about the issues, if they choose," she said. "There has not been enough good, general discussion between broadcast meteorologists and climatologists," he said. "I hope this [survey] can put things out in the open." Sublette said some broadcast meteorologists - many of whom "don't like being told what to think" - were not satisfied by answers to some of their questions when climatologists presented data at last year's AMS Annual Meeting in San Antonio. The discussion about human causation of climate change between people in the two fields has been "devolving into 'I don't see it happening at all' versus 'You're crazy if you don't think it's happening,'" he said. Broadcast meteorologists are so busy disseminating information about near-term weather conditions - now on multiple platforms - that they simply don't have much time to keep up with scientific developments related to longer-term climate conditions, he said. "Longer-term climate science is still a relatively new field. It's very difficult for each side to understand the other because we're not playing in each other's yard very much. Still, I think there's more agreement than is widely seen by the general public." Disdain All Around, but Nobody 'Free of Sin'At Penn State University, one of the nation's leading academic institutions educating students for careers as broadcast meteorologists, senior meteorology lecturer Paul Knight said in a phone interview that lectures address subjects including the IPCC and long-range climate projections. The disagreements between television weathercasters and climate scientists involve "a jurisdictional war," and "there's nobody free of sin in this matter," Knight said. "I'm seeing a row here, but it's not a bad row." On one side, there seems to be "a disdain in the orthodox scientific research community for those who are not smart enough to get a Ph.D. or do research, and instead go into the fluff of television and just forecast the weather," he said. On the other side, "there's a certain amount of disdain from television meteorologists who are predicting the weather for those who pontificate about what their [climate] models show," he added. Knight summed up his own view of climate change this way: "There's no question that warming is going on. To say it's a hoax is to deny the data. To say it's all human-caused is foolish, too." Common sense suggests that both factors are in play, he added. "Then the question is, to what degree? How do we differentiate? The more that folks are willing to admit that, we'll get to a good policy decision and there will be less polarization." One prominent weathercaster still undecided about the biggest question about climate change - substantially human-caused or not? - is Gene Norman of KHOU in Houston, who said he looks forward to the Denver conference as an opportunity to learn more about the subject. Norman, who replaced Frank recently as chief meteorologist at KHOU, was chair of the AMS Board of Broadcast Meteorology last year, overseeing the AMS certification process among other duties. Immediately before joining the Houston station, he was chief meteorologist at Atlanta's WGCL, and before that he had spent eight years with NASA developing weather-monitoring technology for the space shuttle. "My bottom line [about climate change] is I think something is happening," he said. "Is it human activity? I don't know. I need to get better educated." Norman, like others, said a good part of the skepticism among weathercasters stems from the reactions their questions have elicited in the past. "Quite a few on television around the country are skeptical only because they feel they have asked questions and raised issues and been told to be quiet, this is the truth," he said. Skepticism is reinforced "because we know things change that don't necessarily have to do with global warming. We know certain sensors have been moved, which has become a politicized issue," Norman said. "It's difficult to communicate about climate to the public," he said. "To purely say it's human beings causing all this trouble, a lot of us wonder. We just wonder." Click here to read the full article.
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A Letter From Lis
Elisabeth Cohen Note from the editor: While she is working through this time we will reprint some of her most tantalizing letters from the past years. This from February 2007 Dear Satellite Educators, Since the new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment has been released, I feel it is appropriate to discuss some of the interesting challenges that we as climate change scientists face in getting the science out to the public. I recently attended the National American Meteorological Society Meeting in San Antonio, Texas where I spoke to several television meteorologists, climate scientists and policy scientists. In the following months I will address some of the challenges facing climate scientists and scientists involved in policy. This month’s article will focus on the broadcast meteorologists’ concerns. Many television meteorologists either avoided talking about climate change or did not feel completely comfortable speaking about climate change on air. The reasons I found for their discomfort were:
Many of these challenges can be remedied by collaboration between broadcast meteorologists, climate scientists, and educators. As a climate scientist and educator I plan on working with our local broadcast meteorologists and helping them break down the climate science. All of you can help in this effort as well. Reaching out to the broadcast community and letting them know your expertise and that you are a resource for them can help bridge the gap between what scientists know and what the general public knows. Television meteorologists reach thousands of people every single day. We should combine our strengths to help teach our community.
Sincerely,
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NOAA: U.S. Has 36th Coolest Spring on Record
The average spring temperature of 51.4 degrees F was 0.5 degree F below the 20th century average. The average May temperature of 60.3 degrees F was 0.7 degree F below the 20th century mean, based on preliminary data. U.S. Temperature Highlights
U.S. Precipitation Highlights
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects. __________________________________________________________________
Buzz
Lightyear in Space, and in the Classroom When the space shuttle Discovery was sent into space on May 31st, things were a little tight for the astronauts onboard. Seven of them were able to sit in their specially designed seats, strapped in tight for the journey from Earth. The eighth spaceman, however, was forced to fly steerage class - stuffed in one of the lockers. But this famous spaceman didn't mind too much, because, after all, Buzz Lightyear has been in worse predicaments over the years. A twelve-inch version of the Toy Story star was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a partnership between NASA and Disney. This partnership, called the Space Ranger Education Series, features Buzz Lightyear and is built around educational games that children can play online and printable tools that teachers can take from the web and into the classroom. "We are thrilled that Buzz's lifelong dream of space travel will finally come true thanks to NASA," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "This launch fulfills his dream, and we hope it will inspire countless children to stay interested in science and believe in their own dreams." The Education Series is set up so that children can learn about NASA and be exposed to the disciplines involved in space exploration - science, technology, and mathematics. It is broken down according to the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Score, with a section for each grade between Kindergarten and Fourth. "NASA is excited to help students understand the science and engineering currently underway on the International Space Station," said Joyce Winterton, NASA assistant administrator for Education. "The educational games and resources from this partnership will allow students to explore the science and math behind space exploration with a beloved character." The online "Buzz Lightyear in Orbit" games created for The Space Ranger Education Series are:
When students finish all the "missions," their teacher can print out a "Mission: Accomplished" certificate from Buzz Lightyear and NASA that recognizes their success. Buzz Lightyear is not the first toy to be sent into space by NASA for educational purposes. Since 1985, NASA's "Toys in Space" program has seen astronauts playing with toys aboard space shuttles and the ISS to demonstrate how they work and what effect zero gravity will have on them. It is through games and videos such as the ones in the Space Ranger Education Series, that NASA and Disney hope to expose children to the basics of the sciences involved in space flight. They have provided teachers with tools and activities that can nurture that exposure into interest, and to take that interest, as Lightyear would say, "To infinity ... and beyond!" _________________________________________________________________ NASA Launches Ocean Satellite Jason 2 to Keep a Weather, Climate Eye OpenPress Release  Editor's Note: Where can you find an image of the Jason 1 satellite?
A new NASA-French space agency oceanography satellite
launched today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on a globe-circling
voyage to continue charting sea level, a vital indicator of global climate
change. The mission will return a vast amount of new data that will improve
weather, climate and ocean forecasts.
Editor's Note: The satellite shown in our S.E.A. logo is
Jason 1 _________________________________________________________________ NOAA's Satellite Direct Readout Conference
NOAA invites science teachers and their students from
universities,
Scientific Assessment Captures Effects
of a Changing Climate on Extreme Weather Events in North America
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global
Change Research today released a scientific assessment that provides the
first comprehensive analysis of observed and projected changes in weather
and climate extremes in North America and U.S. territories. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change previously evaluated extreme
weather and climate events on a global basis in this same context. However,
there has not been a specific assessment across North America prior to this
report. Among the major findings reported in this assessment are that droughts,
heavy downpours, excessive heat, and intense hurricanes are likely to become
more commonplace as humans continue to increase the atmospheric
concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The report is based on scientific evidence that a warming world will
be accompanied by changes in the intensity, duration, frequency, and
geographic extent of weather and climate extremes. "This report addresses one of the most frequently asked questions about
global warming: what will happen to weather and climate extremes? This
synthesis and assessment product examines this question across North America
and concludes that we are now witnessing and will increasingly experience
more extreme weather and climate events," said report co-chair Tom Karl,
Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. "We will continue to see some of the biggest impacts of global warming coming from changes in weather and climate extremes,” said report co-chair Gerry Meehl, Ph.D., of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "This report focuses for the first time on changes of extremes specifically over North America." The full CCSP 3.3 report, Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate, and a summary FAQ brochure are available online. Global warming of the past 50 years is due primarily to human-induced increases in heat-trapping gases, according to the report. Many types of extreme weather and climate event changes have been observed during this time period and continued changes are projected for this century. Specific future projections include:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. NOAA plays a key role in the Climate Change Science Program, which is responsible for coordinating and integrating climate research, observations, decision support, and communications of 13 federal departments and agencies. The National Center for Atmospheric Research investigates climate, weather, and other topics related to the atmosphere. It is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and managed by a nonprofit consortium of universities, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. _________________________________________________________________
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Teachers To Be Taught More About Space: The Space Foundation's Space Discovery Institute is set to start on June 16th. This engaging program is comprised of five intensive, week-long, graduate-level, in-residence courses in Colorado Springs, Colorado. These interactive, hands-on courses use proven teaching strategies designed to provide educators with experience, knowledge, and content that is instantly transferable into the classroom. Previously known as the Summer Institute, the Space Discovery Institute recently expanded its program to school districts in other areas of the United States. Classes are open to PreK - 12 educators. More than 150 educators from across the country will participate in the Colorado Springs classes this summer. The 2008 Space Discovery Institute courses include "Rocketry and the Biology of Living in Space: Living Aboard the International Space Station," "Biological and Physical Research: Long Term Space Travel," "Astronomy Principles for the Classroom: Kinesthetic Astronomy," "Space Technologies in the Classroom: Imagery and High-Tech Science," and "Earth Systems Science: Our Earth Revealed." These courses provide educators with the skills and techniques to capture the imagination and interest of their students using space to inspire, enable, and propel them to study the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. For more information, select the graphic below
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Communications Satellites
Click here to view the movie and lesson materials.
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NASA/JPL has just published their second issue of a bi-monthly newsletter for formal and informal educators. The newsletter is all about the many useful and--it goes without saying--free resources on The Space Place website that can be helpful to classroom and home school teachers, after-school program directors, museum and library program directors, and other informal educators. Although the entire Space Place site may be helpful to teachers and students, the resources linked there were developed specifically to help in the classroom. Click here to visit the site and read the newsletter.
M.Y. S.P.A.C.E. Photos from the conference now posted.
M.Y. S.P.A.C.E. M.Y. S.P.A.C.E.
Be a M.Y.
S.P.A.C.E. Teacher
Sally Ride Honors 25th Anniversary of Her Spaceflight
With a Push to Protect Earth Sally Ride won the hearts and minds of the American public 25 years ago today, when she became the first American woman to fly into space. More recently her mission has been to keep middle school girls interested in science. Ride is celebrating the 25th anniversary of her flight by hosting a conference for teachers on the basic science behind climate change and ways to bring that science into the classroom. The topic is so new, that much of the basic science behind climate change has not yet found its way into textbooks and classrooms. "The kids who are growing up today are very aware of the challenge, but they don't have a lot of information about the science. So we're trying to bring this information to the... teachers so that they can bring it into the classroom" said Ride. This could very well mark the start of a second boom for science and engineering in the United States:
Ride was one of five women selected in 1978 to fly on the new Space Shuttle system and was selected for the crew of STS-7 that launched June 18, 1983. She has a PhD in Physics from Stanford University and is currently a professor of Physics at the University of California at San Diego. The conference, "Earth Then, Earth Now: Our Changing Climate" will be July 23-24 in Silver Spring, Maryland. It is hosted by NASA, NOAA, DOE, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Science Teachers Association, the National Environmental Education Foundation and Northrup Grumman. If you know an educator who should be there please send them to Sally Ride Science for more information. In an article in Florida Today, Dr. Ride talks about how that first historic flight ignited her passion for our fragile blue planet. From seeing the smog of the Los Angeles basin, to the raw sewage flowing out into the Mediterranean, to the rivers of Madagascar clogged with red clay from the erosion caused by years of deforestation the impact ran deep. Ride also noted the intense connection with the "pencil-thin" line of atmosphere that protects us from the harsh blackness of space. That thin line is what makes life on Earth possible. "I kind of came out of my flight experience with a much greater appreciation for Earth's environment and our impact on it. And that evolved rather quickly actually into an interest and concern about climate change and global warming," she said. "Understanding our effect on Earth's climate and then mitigating our effect on Earth's climate is really the greatest challenge in front of us today, and in front of the next generation," Ride added. Getting young girls engaged in using science to solve problems is a driving force behind all the programs that Sally Ride Science hosts, from the Science Festivals, to the Science Camps, to this teacher conference. "I'm an optimist by nature, so I really believe there are solutions to this problem. But it's something we have to get very serious about very quickly, and start focusing some of the scientific and engineering brains we have in this country on solving the problem." Kudos to Ride for using her day to wave the flag for science and empowering a new generation to start saying, "When I grow up I want to be an environmental scientist and when I grow up, I want to save the Earth." NASA.gov is also hosting a special tribute to Sally Ride's historic flight. You can view a gallery of images of the first class of women to be selected, Ride's training, and that first historic flight STS-7. |
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The
mission culminates more than three decades of research by NASA and CNES in
this field. This expertise will be passed on to the world's weather and
environmental forecasting agencies, which will be responsible for collecting
the data. The involvement of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of
Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) as mission partners on OSTM/Jason 2
helps establish this proven research capability as a valuable tool for use
in everyday applications. 
A
system of satellites that orbit the Earth at various distances makes it
possible to communicate from anywhere, to anywhere. What holds them up
there? Algebra!
