Re: [Phys-l] facts about temperature records in July 2011

["David Marx" <marx@phy.ilstu.edu>]

My comment was based on a page on the Weather Channel website, which, in turn, based their 
information on the National Weather Service data.  The page was updated today.  Here is what they 
have to say...

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/2011-heat-superlatives_2011-07-15

Really, I have little confidence in NOAA's or the NWS surface temperature measurements with regard 
to historical temperatures.  This is based on the switch to electronic temperature monitoring in the 
early 1980s, which caused heat island effects to even the stations considered rural.  The majority of 
stations in the USHCN network are reading higher than actual air temperatures by as much as 4 to 5 
F, which in turn can cause those heat index values to be more than 10 degrees higher than if the 
correct air temperature was used.  The error in the stations has been acknowledged by the NWS.



On 27 Jul 2011 at 1:47, Price Daniel S. wrote:

> Although Dr. Marx claims that "relatively few new temperature records were set in the past two weeks", from 1 - 25 July 2011 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center has recorded "1333 [daily maximum temperature records] broken" and "928 tied".  A quick perusal of the data indicates that approximately 70% of those records were set in the past two weeks.  I would imagine that if "relatively few" high-temperature records truly had been observed, the number of record low temperature maxima would exceed the number of record high maxima.  Instead, 659 low maxima have been recorded from 1 - 25 July 2011, representing 451 new records and 208 tied. 
>
> Furthermore, 5081 record high minimum temperatures were recorded from 1 - 25 July 2011 (2994 new records, 2087 ties), while only 405 record low minima were observed (234 new records, 171 ties)  (NOAA, 56 July 2011).
>
> Fifty-six of the records set from 18 - 24 July represented the highest temperatures ever recorded at those stations, and 123 stations reported the "warmest minimum temperature of all time" (Masters, 25 July 2011).
>
> Of course, one may choose to hide behind the weasel-word "relatively", so I ask:  "relative to *what*?  Venus?"
>
>
>
> --Daniel Price, Ph.D.
>
>
> sources:
>
> http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1855
>
> http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/records/daily/himn/2011/07/00?sts[]=US#records_look_up
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] on behalf of David Marx [marx@phy.ilstu.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 1:28 PM
> To: Forum for Physics Educators
> Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Gotta love these HeadLine Writers!
>
> Look, we scientists can think for ourselves.  Thank you very much!
>
> I think that the reporters should be giving the air temps and speaking of records, if any, with regard to
> those.  They such use the term "heat index" for the parameter that combines air termperature and
> humidity.  In fact, there were relatively few new temperature records set in the past two weeks.  Yet,
> the media was making it out there there were hundreds of new temperature records set.
>
>
>
> On 26 Jul 2011 at 10:21, John Mallinckrodt wrote:
>
> > On Jul 25, 2011, at 10:35 PM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> >
> > > bc extremely puzzled by W. R.'s complaint, and thinks figurative language appropriate for such a news article.
> >
> > Nothing to be puzzled about.  Rush Limbaugh has been flogging the heat index as government conspiracy line for at least a week now.  It's simply the latest right wing trope.
> >
> > John Mallinckrodt
> > Cal Poly Pomona
> >
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