WUSA-TV Chief Meteorologist Topper Shutt, last covered here giving a shout-out to climate science deniers, blogged recently about the DC region’s warm November temperatures:
It was 73 on [November 14], just four shy of the record high and is still mild today but changes are on the way which is what November is all about. November typically features wide temperature fluctuations in the Metro Area. Temperature swings of highs 10 degrees above average one day can be followed by days with high temperatures 10 degrees below average all in the same week. Although rare, it has snowed in November in the Metro Area (we were reminded it can snow in October as well) while November has also seen temperatures in the mid 70s. There have been instances of both extremes that Washingtonians have experienced on this date in the not too distant past.
To use a local example, this would be like writing an article about the recent history development in Arlington’s Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and saying, “Some buildings are short while others are tall.” While that’s true, it also would be completely ignoring the easily perceived upward trend.
Just look at the global temperature trend. Or to get local as the Capital Weather Gang did, look at DC’s Thanksgiving temperature trend:
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| *Reflects adjusted data to account for later occurring Thanksgiving prior to 1939. |
Yes, there will always be day-to-day weather fluctuations, but over the long term, the trend is pointing up thanks to man-made carbon pollution. Even the cool-down that began yesterday only brought our temperatures down to what should be normal.
It’s not controversial – it’s climate science. The only thing hard to figure out is why Topper Shutt won’t give the whole story about how global warming is impacting DC’s weather.
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