Facts on Global

Warming
Chief Meteorologist Bob Lindmeier
WKOW-TV

Nov 2019
 Extreme weather

• Extreme weather events are happening more

frequently due to global warming.
• # of worldwide $billion disasters up from avg.
8/yr (pre-1980) to 10-15/year now (adjusted
for inflation).
 Rise in CO2

• Ice core samples provide 800,000 years of

history. Air bubbles trapped in glacial ice show
huge spike in CO2 starting in 1910---correlates
with the start of the industrial revolution.
• Rise in CO2 correlates with the rise in global
temperature.
– Up 1.8 deg. F since 1880. (Sun intensity has
actually decreased since then.)
 Last five years the
hottest on record.
• Increased temp. has super-charged the
atmosphere.
• Seas act as a reservoir for CO2.
• Warmer climate leads to leads to bigger rain
events in some areas, drought in others
 Local Effect

• Avg. WI temperature up 2.7 deg C since 1970.

Avg. MKE temp up 3.5 deg C during that same
time.
• Avg. winter temperature in WI up 5.6 deg F
since 1970.
• Avg. Spring temperature up 3deg F since 1970.
 Local Effect

• Milwaukee’s wettest year ever: 2018

@45 inches. YTD 2019 @ 43 inches.
• WI growing season increased 22.7 days.
• Extreme cold used to be considered -15
deg F., now considered -5.
 Bottom Line
• Have to cut CO2 by 50%/keep
temperature rise to less than
2deg C to avoid this likely
scenario-----
 Bottom Line
• Many of the biggest cities in the Middle East
and South Asia would become lethally hot in
summer.
• The disintegration of the West Antarctic’s ice
sheet will threaten the world’s coastal cities
with inundation.
• Tens of millions of climate refugees, perhaps
many more, will be fleeing droughts, flooding
and extreme heat
 Bottom Line
• Tens of millions of climate refugees, perhaps
many more, will be fleeing droughts, flooding
and extreme heat.
• Crop yields will decline.
• Species extinction
• Coral reefs would mostly disappear.
 What can we do
about it?

Personal actions:
–Skip the burger: 1 lb. hamburger
adds 19 lbs. CO2 t the atmosphere.
–Fly less
–Drive electric or hybrid vehicle
•
 What can we do
about it?
Societal actions:
• Put a price on carbon. Support the
Energy Innovation/Carbon Dividend Act
–Would provide a dividend to those
using the least amount of fossil fuel
energy
•