Comments on Philipona, R., B. Dürr, A. Ohmura, and C. Ruckstuhl (2005), Anthropogenic greenhouse forcing and strong water vapor feedback increase temperature in Europe, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L19809, doi:10.1029/2005GL023624.
Dr Philipona has kindly replied, see links under comments he has referred to.

This paper looks at trends in surface temperature compared to a variety of other atmospheric parameters over Europe by longitude bands, see map.

I found it odd that Philipona et al would use surface T data when many of the atmospheric processes they were comparing with were operating well above the surface. Click here for Dr Philipona's replies see para 2 See below all the graphics for comments on MSU trends

 
Panels b and d in Fig 2 below are I think the key evidence for  Philipona et al  that the greenhouse effect and strong water vapour feedback are operating over Europe.  Click here for Dr Philipona's replies see para 4 and 5

Panel b shows the monthly CRUT2 surface T changes for the specified longitude bands for the period 1995 to 2002. Panel d shows changes in Integrated Water Vapour  (IWV)  and the effect of these two panels is clearly to impress readers that they show similar trends, warming from west to east and increase in IWV from west to east.. Click here for Dr Philipona's replies see para 7

Let's look at two other periods for the CRUT2 data in the same longitude bands, (I do not have the IWV or radiation data).
First 1994-2002 then 1995 to 2005.  Click on the graphics below for larger versions

	In each of my graphics I show the Philipona et al 1995-2002 period as thin traces and the  trends  I am bringing to your attention in heavy lines. Clearly the Philipona proposition of west to east warming is less well defined  when you examine 1994-2002.
	Looking at 1995-2005 the Philipona proposition of west to east warming looks even weaker..

MSU data shows only 75% of the CRUT2 surface warming for the 1995-2002 period over the full Philipona et al grid box 35 to 60 North, 10 West to 20 East, thus weakening the Philipona et al proposition further.

It gets worse for 1995-2005   The MSU trend for 1995-2005 has only 38% of the warming in CRUT2.
So it is clear that the conclusions illustrated in Philipona's eye catching Figure 2b, 2d  are;
[1]   highly dependent on choice of time periods, thus,
[2]   conclusions drawn in their paper are not robust,
[2]   would show less warming and be even less robust  if the more relevant lower troposphere T data had been presented.

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