Climate Scientist: 'Skeptical Science' misleading and fails to understand physics

Climate scientist Roger Pielke Sr. skewers the [un]-'Skeptical Science' blog today for posting "misleading" information about the lack of ocean warming since 2004, and a failure to understand the physics. As Dr. Pielke notes,

• Upper ocean heat annual average did not increase from 2004-2009


• This means that global warming halted during this time period. 


• There is no other way to spin this data.


• The Skeptical Science site statement, "The most recent ocean measurements show consistent warming” is false


• The ocean heat content provides the most appropriate metric to diagnose global warming in recent and upcoming years


• The Skeptical Science statement, Claims that the ocean has been cooling are correct. Claims that global warming has stopped are not  "illustrates their lack of understanding of the physics. If ocean cooling does occur, it DOES mean global warming has stopped during that time period."

For a ready-reference to debunking other claims of the Skeptical Science site, see Lubos Motl's SPPI treatise and the I-Phone Our Climate app.



For a physical explanation why the oceans have not heated due to accumulating 'greenhouse gases' see Why greenhouse gases won't heat the oceans. Also see the recent NASA study stating “Our study concludes the long-term warming trend seen in the central Pacific is primarily due to more intense El Niños, rather than a general rise of background temperatures.” , Oceans are cooling according to NASA, and Recent cooling of the upper ocean.