The Newshour reports on a new report from NOAA, Feeling the Heat: March Shattered Temperature Records Across U.S. Over 15,000 record high temps were broken in March. Many city nighttime low temps were higher than the record high temps. Yet, the scientists are being careful not to directly attribute this to climate change.
The Newshour reports that climate scientist Jake Couch said, “I can’t point my finger and say ‘this was climate change. But this is what we expect with climate change.”
Notice that he didn’t say that the high temperatures were caused by climate change. Why? Probably for several reasons. First, media savvy. To make a definitive claim would definitely invite controversy. Second, climate can be erratic. If a string of high temps equals climate change, does a string of cooler temps disprove climate change? Climate scientists must be very careful not to over simplify evidence or theory. This opens to the door to misunderstandings.