Meteorologists analyze historical and current climate trends to predict future weather events. Sources of information include logged data, ice deposits, paintings, and personal records. Researchers use this information to develop models to predict future climate trends and advocate for regulation to limit greenhouse gas production.
Climate trends are atmospheric patterns such as temperature, gas concentrations, and precipitation. Meteorologists gather information to understand historical patterns, compare them to current patterns, and predict future weather events. This work includes analyzing weather information to identify worrying trends, such as spikes in warming and cooling that may be indicative of climate change. As climates change, their trends change permanently, which can impact the environment and human populations.
There are numerous sources of information on historical climate trends. One is the logged data. In many countries, temperature and precipitation information dates back to the early 20th century and sometimes even earlier, providing factual information about what the weather was like. From the 1920s onwards, the information may also include radiation readings, gas concentrations, and other data that might be of interest to researchers.
Other related data comes from historical sources. Ice deposits in the Arctic and Antarctic are helping researchers identify particulate matter that was present hundreds or thousands of years ago, thanks to packed snow that can be collected with core sampling technology to maintain layers and allow ice to researchers to study them. This may allow researchers to identify signs of volcanic eruptions and unusual heat or cold based on what pollinated and when.
Additional sources of information on climate trends are a little more unexpected. Researchers have used paintings, for example, analyzing the use of color, the appearance of the sky and the presence of snow and other seasonal indicators to learn more about the climatic conditions when the artworks were produced. Diaries and other personal records can also provide insight into what the temperatures were like, when it usually rained, how long the snow cover stayed, and so on.
This historical information creates a baseline that researchers can use to explore climate trends. From year to year there can be considerable variations in atmospheric data; rainfall could start early or late, the weather could be unusually hot or cold, or heavy weather like tornadoes could wax and wane. Over time, however, these phenomena usually subside. This allows researchers to identify unusual data spikes, such as a global warming trend that suggests temperatures are steadily rising.
Researchers interested in climate conditions apply their research to developing models to predict future climate trends. Foresight can allow nations to plan ahead for changes that may not be avoidable. It can also highlight the consequences of certain human activities on the environment, which may provide arguments for more regulation. For example, many researchers believe that the production of greenhouse gases through industrial activity contributes to global warming trends and are recommending stricter pollution laws to limit the production and release of those gases.
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