Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions.

Q: One of your greatest accomplishments was founding the Weather Channel. What was the original purpose of the Weather Channel?

A: To provide up to the minute current and predicted weather information to TV viewers in every part of the Untied States, including timely warnings of severe weather. It was an ambitious mission, but we planned our program content so that some aspect of the current or short term forecast weather was on the screen at all times except for commercial breaks which were restricted to one minute.

Our weather maps were very detailed with precipitation plotted like radar echoes, isobars and fronts.


Q: How has the Weather strayed from your vision?

A: Style and storm pictures seem to be the current primary mission of the TWC. The weathermaps have been simplified. There are now long periods inwhich no current or short term forecat information is presented. Routine weather is no longer "good enough" for TWC. And, the mission has been confused by the inclusion of traffic information. Traffic reports on TV have never made any sense to me and confusing the mission of TWC to be the TW and T C is a bad move.


Q: Dr. Heidi Cullen, "Climate Expert" at the Weather Channel has called for any meteorologist that disagrees with the hypothesis of anthropogenic climate change should have their AMS certification revoked. What is your response to this sort of nonsense?

A: TWC and its Climate Expert are free to do and say and take whatever positions they wish. That's free speach.

I think she and TWC are dead wrong.


Q: Many of claimed a "consensus" of scientists agree that this period of climate change is man made. Do you believe this "consensus" actually exists?

A: There is no consensus. And, if there were, so what. Consensus is not what science is about. I think the global warming establishment is wrong. There are more and more scientists who dropping out of the "consensus". The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have been in exsistance for 19 years. It has promoted Global Warming with all its force. Where is the Global Warming?


Q: Many scientists have illuded to being skeptical of anthropogenic climate change, yet many are reluctant to be forthcoming and say they don’t believe that climate change is man made. In your opinion, why is this?

A: Our civilization is powered by fossil fuel. This has significantly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmospshere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. The debate rages about the extend to which this alters our climate. As best I can tell, very little.

In any case, I regard oil and coal as holdovers from the 20 century and I am anxious for science to come up with 21st century fuels to replace fossil fuel.

However, I do not believe we should abandon our advanced standard of living, modern transportation, electricity and the TV's and computers it powers, modern heating and air conditioning because of the increase in carbond dioxide. I suggest everybody, particularly government and industry, get more focused on modern engergy development.


Q: On your blog, you have said global warming is the "biggest scam in history." Can you please explain why you believe it is?

A: There is absolutely no proof of any unprecedented global warming in the last thirty years. The hockey stick chart has been proved wrong. The increase in carbon dioxide has not had an impact on temperatures. Yet there is this huge global warming "movement" of scientists, environmentalists, politicians, movie stars and the news media. I have never seen anything like it in my life. This multibillion dollar global warming industry. Al Gore has a Grammy, an Emmy, an Oscar, a Nobel prize and millions of dollars. Put it all together, its a monster of a scam.

Q: From everything I have read on the subject, it seems virtually impossible to predict what the weather will be 2 weeks from now. Yet the IPCC and others have made the claim that they can predict that there will be a rise in temperature and a rise in extreme weather events 50 to 100 years from now. Is it even possible to even come close to predicting what the future climate and weather will be that far in advance and why?

A: Our best computer models can now predict weather with some reasonable detail and a rather high rate of accuracy 14 days in advance and with useful accuracy 21 days in advance. That is an amazing accomplishment in atmospheric modeling.

The long range prediction group that NWS produces useful seasonal and monthly forecasts for a year in advance. The accuracy and detail is not great, but its much better than randon.
Predicting Climate is an entirely different. I am not qualified to scientific asses its skill level. But I have read a lot of papers about it and gather that there is a lot of loading in assumptions that tilt the output in the direction the researcher wants to go.


Q: 1998 was the second warmest year on record in the US. Much of that warmth was attributed to a "Super" El Nino. Some have speculated that that "Super" El Nino was caused by anthropogenic climate change. Was it or are there a natural causes for why that El Nino was so strong?

A: I see absolutely no evidence that mankind caused or intensified the 1997-98 El Nino. I suggest that Sun cycles are a more likely culprit.

Q: CNN and MSNBC speculated in their "news" reports that the recent wildfires in your region (Southern California) were intensified by global warming and one "journalist" on CNN even speculated that the fires were caused by anthropogenic global warming. How often do wildfires occur in the region and are there other examples of wildfires that were just as intense or more intense?

A: That is baseless speculation. Environmentalists and global warming proponents are now blaming all exceptional weather events on anthropogenic global warming. On what would they blame major weather events in prior decades. I could produce a long list of exceptional events.


Q: Is there anything you would like to add?

A: Thanks for your interest. In 20 years, we will have the last laugh.