The Herald Sun’s chief climatologist, Andrew Bolt, goes to the ‘if global warming is real, then why is it cold?’ line of reasoning.

After decades of man-made warming…

This global warming doesn’t seem to be doing its job:

snoffw_thumb.jpg

At first glance it looks like a graphic from a Discovery Channel programme about a distant ice age. But this astonishing picture shows the world as it is today – with half the Northern Hemisphere covered with snow and ice.

The image was released by the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Association (NOAA) on the day half of North America was in the grip of a severe winter storm.

(Thanks to reader Baa Humbug.)

He’s laughing at all of us, right?

Surely he must be laughing at the frustration he causes those of us who believe that climate scientists have a better understanding of climate change than reader Baa Humbug? And he’s laughing at the refuseniks who come to his blog looking for a place where they can collectively bury their heads in the sand isn’t he?

Andrew Bolt couldn’t possibly believe that a bunch of snow in winter somehow disproves climate change theory could he? Not when 2010 was the equal hottest year on record, not when we know that increases in global temperature mean an increase in water vapour, not when we know that water vapour in cold air becomes snow?

In 2007 Andrew Bolt laid out his position on climate change to Robyn Williams:

Andrew Bolt: I’m certainly pretty sure that there has been global warming, 0.7 of a degree over the last century, which is the IPCC’s latest report. I am pretty sure, given the consensus of science, that man has some role to play in that.

So has Bolt changed his mind, or is he just trolling everyone, his fans and detractors alike? He told Williams that:

I am someone whose business is trying to find truth from lots of claims made

I wonder how he’d describe his business today?