Abrupt Climate Change, Richard B. Alley, Scientific American, 291:5, (November, 2004). pp. 62-69.

Current findings

Winter temperatures plummeting six degrees Celsius (a lot) and sudden droughts scorching farmland around the globe are not just the stuff of scary movies. Such striking climate jumps have happened before--sometimes within a matter of years.

Global warming should be more of a worry than ever: it could be pushing the earth's climate faster toward sudden shifts, because it appears likely that humans are pushing certain aspects of climate closer to the thresholds that could unleash sudden changes.

 

What does that mean in plain speaking terms?

What is abrupt climate change?

Evidence for climate chaos is growing.