Science Lesson

How is Earth’s climate modelled and how does modelling help our understanding?

What is a climate model?

The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, and Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) in the Southern Hemisphere, are a spectacular natural phenomenon. They light up a night sky, dancing around in fantastic colours. There are few places in the Northern Hemisphere where you can see them, but they can be elusive if you are really unlucky. Here we explain the science behind the Northern Lights and share few tips on how to maximise your chances of witnessing this wonderful spectacle. 

What is El Niño? 

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a large-scale climatic phenomenon that originates in the tropical Pacific but affects global climate patterns. The warm phase is known as El Niño and the cold phase is La Niña. El Niño occurs irregularly every two to seven years and peaks around in winter. 

What causes an El Niño event?

In simple terms, fog is cloud at ground level. It can cover vast areas, vary in density and thickness, and, like clouds, comprises of a various types.  

After a lovely few weeks of sunshine and warm weather, the summer holidays are coming to an end. Now is a great time to get your children motivated for the year ahead with some fun science experiments!

What causes our weather? Why is it much warmer at the Equator than it is at the Poles? What are the trade winds?

As weather enthusiasts, these might be a few questions you find yourself asking. The Earth’s rotation and the Sun are the main causes of the diverse weather experienced in different parts of the world every day. A previous article published on theWeather Club explores the processes involved in creating atmospheric circulation cells and the impact they have on global weather patterns.

The Society released another climate science briefing paper on “Global Carbon Budgets”. How much CO₂ can the world emit to avoid a global warming of 1.5°C or 2°C depends on the current rate of warming and the past emissions. The briefing paper discusses the concept of carbon budgets, how they are calculated and what uncertainties exist.

Read the briefing paper here.

What controls the weather in the UK?