re: Tried to watch Planet Earth, Frozen Planet II with the kids. Impossible

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The same thing would be true of warming oceans, btw. Water vapor is the great buffer.

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Exactly, and it is quantifiable. That is why I said "to use a mechanical analogy water is the great atmospheric mass-damper system" in my previous post.

And to quantify water as an atmospheric buffer, it's ability to absorb energy and not change a degree is big compared to other atmospheric constituents.

For example it takes 4200 joules of solar energy to move water one degree C where it takes 700 joules of solar energy to move air one degree. Air without water vapor cools and heats compared to air with water vapor.

Climates with more water vapor are more temperate. See the tropics for warm temperate climates. See the Pacific coast for cool temperate climates. See the middle of landmasses for intemperate climates.