Please take this as a serious request for more information. I’ve been enjoying and learning from the posts on AGW for the past several months. Right now I consider myself to be a fence sitter. The outrageous comments and predictions from both sides of the issue leave me with a few basic questions.

Just what is the “normal” temperature of the earth and of the oceans? I suspect the “normal” temperature would be within a range of temperatures depending on specific locations on the earth or ocean. I’m quite sure a normal range of temperatures at the equator would be different from the range within the arctic region.

So, not knowing what’s normal, I can’t determine if the current rise in temperature is:
- Increasing from a below normal temperature to a higher temperature within the normal range of temperatures, or
- Increasing from the average temperature to a higher temperature within the normal range of temperatures, or
- Increasing from a temperature higher than normal but still within the normal range of temperatures, or
- Increasing from within the normal range of temperatures to a higher temperature above the normal range of temperatures.

Everywhere I look I find references that the global temperature and the predicted global temperatures are increasing to this degree or that degree. I just can’t find any base line data to determine the significance of these increases. For example, if earlier recorded base line temperatures were 1 or 2 degrees below normal then an increase of 1 or 2 or even 3-4 degrees may not be significant. On the other hand, if the current base line temperature is higher than normal and close to the upper limits within the normal range , an increase of a degree or two to may have a significant impact to the globe.

So, can anyone answer the question: “What is the “normal” temperature and normal range of temperatures for the earth and the oceans?”.