Study: ocean was so warm last year due to decrease in low-hanging clouds
From one of our correspondents.
Last year was the warmest year ever measured, writes the NOS. Factors that contributed to this are known – the greenhouse effect and the El Niño weather phenomenon – but that did not fully explain the unusual temperature increase. Scientists from the journal Science now say they have identified the missing piece of the puzzle: clouds.
The scientists found that the rapid increase in warming was amplified by a lack of low-hanging clouds over the oceans. As a result, the Earth becomes "darker" so that the planet absorbs more sunlight and reflects less. Low-hanging clouds refer to clouds at an altitude of 1 to 2 kilometers.
White surfaces can reflect sunlight better than dark surfaces. This phenomenon is called 'albedo': the ability of surfaces to reflect the sun's energy back into space. The resulting warm ocean also led to a lot of precipitation in the Netherlands.
https://www.climategate.nl/2024/12/studie-oceaan-was-vorig-jaar-zo-warm-door-afname-laaghangende-bewolking/
