The Earth has been in a fairly steep cooling trend since 2006, I don't expect it to turn around for some time. The really crazy part is that Solar Cycle 25 (not due for 11-13 years) is expected to be extremely weak by NASA. So, we could well be looking at 20-30 more years of cooling!
It'll be interesting to see things spin as the politicians realize they bet on exactly the wrong horse...not that humans can do much to affect the climate one way or the other.
No wonder the Chinese are colonizing Africa
Oh, come now! I remember in the '70's we were told we were heading into the next Ice Age. Then came the '80's and the era of "Big Hair" and the talk of global cooling disappeared. Coincidence??? I think not!
Time to get the hairspray going again!!! :o)
The politicians will readjust. Fortunately, there is total consensus on how to handle Global Cooling: we must deindustrialize the West, raise taxes, sell carbon offsets, and allow China to take a pass on environmental standards.
“...SPOT on.”
I get it!
That’s a good one.
It's making those guys who predicted a new Ice Age in the 70's look a lot smarter.
How does NASA predict the strength/weakness of an upcoming solar cycle?
Technically - You’re right: Solar Cycle 25 is due after solar cycle 24 finisghes, and hte “average” sunspot cycle” is 11-13 years. So, by math, solar cycle 25 might come that early “The really crazy part is that Solar Cycle 25 (not due for 11-13 years) is expected to be extremely weak by NASA..”
But solar cycle 24 hasn’t started yet (now, as of Oct 2008 we are still at the minimum zero sunspot activity between cycle 23 and 24), and nobody can predict when cycle 24 will even begin, much less end. Nor how high the peak of cycle 24 will be: It too may be as low as cycle 25 may be.
So, could we face 20-30 years more of cooling? Absolutely.
And I would bet on the side of 28-36 years of cooling - before temperatures even get BACK to where they are now. All previous cooling cycles this century have had 26-30 years of cooling, 5-10 years of flat, and 26-30 years of increase again, 5-10 years of flat, .....