Sunshine slips slightly; effect on winter hinted

April 22, 1982

A US satellite detected a decrease of a tenth of 1 percent in sunshine reaching the earth between February 1980 and August 1981, possibly contributing to the severe winter weather this year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said. It is believed a 1 percent decrease in radiation from the sun reaching the earth could lower the global mean temperature by more than 2 degrees F.