COSEE Ocean Systems: News
Expanding tropics are pushing high altitude clouds towards poles
Description: Clouds are among the most important mediators of heat reaching Earth's surface. Where clouds are absent, darker surfaces like the ocean or vegetated land absorb heat, but where clouds occur, their white tops reflect incoming sunlight away, which can cause a cooling effect on Earth's surface. Where and how the distribution of cloud patterns change strongly affects Earth's climate. Understanding the underlying causes of cloud migration will allow researchers to better predict how they may affect Earth's climate in the future. [Source: NASA Climate Change News]
URL: http://climate.nasa.gov/news/2440/
Availability: Full Text
Source: NASA Climate Change News
Publish Date: 5/5/2016
Reading Level: Basic
Page Length:  

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