CLIMATE MODELLING 3 June 2021 16:00
Cooling effect of clouds ‘underestimated’ by climate models, says new study
Ayesha Tandon
03.06.2021 | 4:00pm
Cooling effect of clouds ‘underestimated’ by climate models, says new study
Clouds could have a greater cooling effect on the planet than climate models currently suggest, according to new research.
The paper, published in Nature Climate Change, aims to correct a “long-standing” and “unaddressed” problem in climate modelling – namely, that existing models simulate too much rainfall from clouds and, therefore, underestimate their lifespan and cooling effect.
The authors have updated an existing climate model with a more realistic simulation of rainfall from “warm” clouds – those that contain water only, rather than a combination of water and ice. They find that this update makes the “cloud-lifetime feedback” – a process in which warmer temperatures increase the lifespan of clouds – almost three times bigger.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/cooling-effect-of-clouds-underestimated-by-climate-models-says-new-study
