UPDATE: The author’s (Lorne Gunter) claim of breaking the all time March record by -12 degrees is only partially correct. The phrase “smashing the previous March low” should have read “smashing the previous March 10th low”. Mr. Gunter erred in his statement.
The official all time March record Tmin occurred in 2003 and was -42.2°C details here from Environment Canada (Thanks to reader K Stricker for the link).
UPDATE#2: 3/18 I’ve sent off a note to Mr. Gunter on the error in the article, and I’m hoping that he will post a correction to the wording in his article below. I have not yet heard back from him and I’m trying an alternate contact route via another person known to have corresponded with him. Gunter’s mistake is that he claims a new low temperature record for the entire Month of March, when it is only for a single day, March 10th. While I can’t correct the text in Mr. Gunter’s article until he makes a correction himself (since I won’t modify another authors words) reader should take note that the claims made in the article are not supported by the actual data. While I agree that “global warming” has indeed stalled in the last few years, the claim of the all time March low for Edmonton is incorrect. – Anthony
Global warming’s no longer happening
So why are eco types moaning about record highs while ignoring record lows?
By Lorne Gunter, The Edmonton Journal
So far this month, at least 14 major weather stations in Alberta have recorded their lowest-ever March temperatures. I’m not talking about daily records; I mean they’ve recorded the lowest temperatures they’ve ever seen in the entire month of March since temperatures began being recorded in Alberta in the 1880s.
This past Tuesday, Edmonton International Airport reported an overnight low of -41.5 C, smashing the previous March low of -29.4 C set in 1975. Records just don’t fall by that much, but the airport’s did. Records are usually broken fractions of degrees. The International’s was exceeded by 12 degrees.
To give you an example of how huge is the difference between the old record and the new, if Edmonton were to exceed its highest-ever summer temperature by the same amount, the high here some July day would have to reach 50 C. That’s a Saudi Arabia-like temperature.
Also on the same day, Lloydminster hit -35.2 C, breaking its old March record of -29.2 C. Fort McMurray — where they know cold — broke a record set in 1950 with a reading of -39.9C. And Cold Lake, Slave Lake, Whitecourt, Peace River, High Level, Jasper and Banff, and a handful of other communities obliterated old cold values, most from the 1950s or 1970s, two of the coldest decades on record in the province.
This has been an especially cold winter across the country, with values returning to levels not often seen since the 1970s, which was an especially brutal decade of winters.
Temperatures began to plummet on the Prairies in December. The cold weather did not hit much of the rest of the country until January, but when it hit, it hit hard. Even against Canada’s normally frigid January standards, “this particular cold snap is noteworthy,” Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson said this past January. Many regions across the country had not been as cold for 30 years or more, he added.
Does this prove fear of global warming is misplaced? On its own, probably not. But if records were being broken the other way — if several Alberta centres had recorded their warmest-ever March values — you can bet there would be no end of hand-wringing, horror stories about how we were on the precipice of an ecological disaster of unprecedented proportions.
Environmentalists, scientists who advance the warming theory, politicians and reporters never shy away from hyping those weather stories that support their beliefs. But they tend to ignore or explain away stories that might cast doubt.
In 2005, the summer and fall of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, when several major ‘canes pummelled North and Central America, we were told again and again that this was proof warming was happening and it was going to be bad. Al Gore has emissions from industrial smokestacks swirling up into a satellite image of a hurricane on the DVD box for his propaganda film An Inconvenient Truth to underline the point that more and eviller hurricanes will be the result of CO2 output.
But since 2005, only one major hurricane — this year’s Ike — has struck North America. And now comes a study from Florida State University researcher Ryan Maue, that shows worldwide cyclonic activity — typhoons, as well as hurricanes — has reached a 30-year low (tinyurl.com/bunynz).
Indeed, the hiatus may go back more than 30 years because it is difficult to compare records before about 1970 with those since, since measurements four or more decades ago were not as precise or thorough. Current low activity may actually be the lowest in 50 years or more.
If Maue had proven hurricane activity were at a 30-year high, of course his findings would have been reported far and wide. But since he is challenging the dogma of the Holy Mother Church of Climate Change, his research is ignored.
For at least the past five or six years, global temperatures have been falling. Look at the black trend line on the chart at www.drroyspencer.com/latest-global-temperatures/ put out by the man who runs NASA’s worldwide network of weather satellites.
Also, in the past few months, two studies — one by the Leibniz Institute of Marine Science and the Max Planck Institute of Meteorology in Germany and another by the University of Wisconsin — have shown a slowing, or even a reversal of warming for at least the next 10 to 20, and perhaps longer.
Even the Arctic sea ice, which has replaced hurricanes as the alarm of the moment ever since hurricanes ceased to threaten, has grown this winter to an extent not seen since around 1980.
Global warming is not only no longer happening, it is not likely to resume until 2025 or later, if then. So why are we continuing to hear so much doomsaying about climate change?
There are a lot of people in every age who think they know better than everyone else and, therefore, have a right to tell everyone how to live. In the 1950s, it was country-club and parish council busybodies with their strict moral codes. In the 1970s, it was social democrats with their fanciful economic theories. Today, it’s environmentalists.
Same instinct, different wrapper.
Parse Error (10:30:22) :
Accusing posters at this site of confusing weather with climate is a straw man argument.
What frightens me is that I completely understand how one could overlook the sarcasm of my intentionally absurd statement. To clarify, I was mocking those who go into hysterics over every heatwave or hurricane, but ignore cold snaps and calm storm seasons. I neglected to consider how many people actually say very similar things with utter sincerity.
Sorry. Parse Error, I didn’t realize you were being facetious. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish between a skeptic being satirical and a warmist being serious.
Robert Austin (08:11:14) :
I think your sarcasm detector is malfunctioning 😉
DaveE
Re Wolfie (22:22:10),
Meanwile in Queensland temperatures were below average for February, up to 4 degrees below average – Australia doesn’t stop at the victorian border.
Also that record was set in Melbourne (look up UHI) and was a small increase on the previous record set at Mildura. Mildura (a rural station) did not break it’s previous record from 1939.
DJ (12:51:46) says, This is unmitigated nonsense.
The Australian bush fire deaths were mainly caused by green stupidity which stated that you could only remove trees within 6 mtrs of your home.
The house is safe because we did all that,” he said as he pointed out his kitchen window to the clear ground of 100 mtrs where tall gum trees once cast a shadow on his house.
“We have got proof right here. We are the only house standing in a two-kilometre area.”
THE ONLY HOUSE STANDING WAS MR SHEAHAN`S.
>Also that record was set in Melbourne (look up UHI) and was a small increase on the previous record set at Mildura.
AlexB all you have written is wrong. The record FFDI was not in Melbourne in 1939 nor in 2009.
Further, the record for Victoria in the 2009 heatwave was 48.8C at Hopetoun – this is a small town in NW Victoria – a region which has experienced population decline . The previous Feb record for Victoria was 46.7C – bettered by more than 2C. The previous all month record for Victoria was that at Mildura set in 1939 at 47.2C which was bettered by more than 1C.
As for Melbourne – the record in Melbourne was broken by 3C. The heat had nothing to do with urban heat islands as records were smashed by large margins in rural areas surrounding Melbourne.
Once again facts contradict “sceptics” claims. The real facts are summarised at the report available at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs17d.pdf.
Reply: Everyone please get back on topic. This thread is a report on Edmonton. ~dbstealey, mod.
DJ (12:51:46) :
“This day came on top of the driest start to a year on record which came on top of the driest 3 years on record on top of the driest 12 years on record on top of the hottest decade on record”
Barry Brooks nursery rhyme chant [which you quoted without attribution] sounds good- till you realise Australia has only had reliable temperature records since 1910 [according to the BOM]
Poster “Arnost” provided historic evidence earlier in this thread for a combined drought, extreme heat and [much larger] fire event that struck Victoria in 1851.
Yep, extreme weather events can be dangerous.
My car thermometer that day recorded -38c at the outskirts of Edmonton.
Another anecdotal record as my car thermometer isn’t calibrated.
——-Epaminondas (01:36:04)
“descending into the ocean at the top of the Pacific as freshwater ice forms on the surface”
One thing I have difficulty understanding how exactly does one make freshwater ice out of ocean water?
Isn’t the Arctic all sea ice with only some places where ice shelves from glaciers float atop the salty sea water.
Perhaps you are a self-seeking grand-stander yourself?
To those who criticised my earlier post, I was repeating Lovelock’s comments. which impressed me. I don’t have enough knowledge to make a judgement – just my experience of native UK flora and fauna during my lifetime, some of which are appearing increasingly stressed, whilst more Mediterranean species are beginning to flourish.
Lovelock is also critical of much of the ‘science’ on both sides of the debate and made it clear in the interview that there were only a handful of independently-funded, multi-disciplined scientists capable of making an authoritative judgment on Global Warming. He believes funding sources often subconsciously influence conclusions and that a scientist needs to be trained in many areas of science (including geophysics, biology, chemistry and meteorology) to understand to pull together and appreciate all the relevant data.
As other data has been posted, I re-state that he sees average global ocean temperature (NOT surface or air temperature) as important, since the oceans act as a ‘heat sink’ for the planet.
As for the climate vs weather issue, I would say the above article and much of the comments show that many people (Lovelock’s comment was aimed at commentators and journalists principally) do get the two confused.
My comment about swallows was meant to support this: you can’t draw conclusions from single weather events, short time periods or from change in climate in one locality: as schnurrp’s link map shows, the impact of current changes can vary enormously in different parts of the globe.
Only time will tell who is right.
lmao. i hate it when people attribute every little spike or dip in temperature to omfg global warming! you can’t just look at ONE record low or high.
And, you (not “you,” specifically) do realize that it’s technically “climate change” and NOT “global warming?” Some areas will get colder, others warmer.
Re DJ (14:33:19)
The temperature records they are talking about in Edmonton date back to the 1880’s. The temperature record you referred to at the Hopetoun station dates back to 2004. Most of the stations which smashed their records were not around for the 1939 heat wave so its a bit hard to compare them wouldn’t you think? Of the eight climate stations which the bom judges suitable to compare long term maximum temperature only 4 are reported in that report of yours despite recording temperatures for that period. Of the 4 reported 3 broke all time records, of the 3 that broke all time records only 2 were around in 1939. I have tried to get the records for the missing stations from the bom but they have been unhelpful in the matter. That is the truth of the matter.
eeerie,
“…it’s technically “climate change” and NOT “global warming…”
Nope. It’s still global warming. Specifically, it’s about whether CO2 causes significant global warming. That’s what the discussion is all about [actually, it’s about money and status, and who gets it — CO2 having had such an insignificant effect on the climate].
“Climate change” came along after the 1997 spike in temps. But it’s really all about non-existent global warming, and the alarmism that feeds off it.
“What frightens me is that I completely understand how one could overlook the sarcasm of my intentionally absurd statement.”
I wonder if there is a list of climate absurdities somewhere? I think the domain name is available.
No Arctic sea ice within five years…
GCMs are reliable out to fifty years…
CO2 is causing uncontrollable warming…
I am from the government and I am here to help you…
Polar bears are in danger of extinction…
Sea levels are rising dangerously…
Curly lights will save the earth…
CO2 mitigation will only cost about ten bucks per person per year…
Cold is good warmth is bad…
Global average temperature is an extremely accurate and reliable metric…
Clouds, oceans and the sun have nothing to do with earth climate…
Recycle to save the children…etc. etc. etc ad nauseum…
DJ
there are plenty of bushfire experts in Victoria who have come out publicly with a very different take on things to your “unmitigated nonsense’. Perhaps the reality is somewhere in the middle. Yes it was a bad day for fires – I know what the conditions were like here in Adelaide that same day – but there was a lot that could and should have been done before the fire that wasn’t due to environmental regulations etc.
“Some areas will get colder, others warmer.”
And how would that be different than any other time in the last thousand years?
“rtgr (02:00:34) : acoording to NOAA feb 2009
9th warmest feb ever ?!
whattsupwiththat?”
What’s up? What’s up is that global warming says it’s supposed to be warmer than 9th warmest. But there’s 8 February’s warmer.
Wolfie Rankin ….. It wasn’t the hottest day Australia had ever had… It was the hottest day the Melbourne CBD had ever had. Which is understandable considering where the thermometer is sited.
Australia’s hottest day is actually 50.7°C (123°F) , which was recorded at the town of Oodnadatta in Sth Aust. on the 2/Jan/1960.
There is an unofficial high temp of 53.3°C (128°F) on 16/1/1889 at Cloncurry QLD Australia.
As for the Bushfires of “Black Friday”…. It was the 120km per hour winds in the middle of Summer, after a years of allowing bush and fuel loads to build up, due to ill advised environmental ideology and bad fire prevention practices….
Had Victorian Parks and Wildlife practiced cold burning off in the national forests, had Land owners been allowed to clear trees and scrub from their own landholdings…. The fires, though bad, would not have wreaked the same devastation.
That’s the true story Wolfie ol’ mate.
Mr Lynn (05:26:17) :
Neil O’Rourke (01:04:31) :
(Quoting from here: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25195980-1702,00.html?from=widget_rss )
. . . Lovelock commands respect because he understood decades before his peers that Earth behaves as a single, self-regulating system composed of physical, chemical and biological components, a concept he dubbed the Gaia principle.
The idea that the entire Earth is “a single, self-regulating system” has always struck me as vastly oversimplified if not just plain fanciful, just a step away from the preposterous sci-fi notion that the Earth is some kind of giant organism. Yet Lovelock “commands respect because he understood [this] decades before his peers.” Do any of his peers here accept this idea?
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything#Answer_to_Life.2C_the_Universe.2C_and_Everything_.2842.29
“This new computer will incorporate living beings in the “computational matrix”, with the pan-dimensional creators assuming the form of mice.”
WRT just a step away from the preposterous sci-fi notion that the Earth is some kind of giant organism.
It’s been done.
I would assert that the indoctrination of the general population into the ideological framework of AGW has neutered peoples ability to relate to weather/climate.
People are no longer able to distinguish events that are natural from those that are man made.
I would suggest the following distinction to clarify this.
1. All weather events are of natural origin, unless a direct causal link is established from human actions to a specific weather event.
” Richard (04:41:58) : ‘one swallow does not make a summer’.”
I think you guys can drop saying this by now. There’s been a cooling trend in the earth since 2004 (really since 1998 😉 ) and it’s continuing. There’s been record cold reported for more than two years. Cooling PDO and AMO happening now. A quiet sun…
You can believe the data. It’s ok.
Some Contemporay data from the great state of WA:
SEA-TAC WA MARCH TO DATE 3-16-09
NOAA DATA, Deg. F
AVERAGE MONTHLY: 40.6 TOTAL FOR MONTH: 2.65 (precip) 1 = FOG OR MIST
DPTR FM NORMAL: -4.8 DPTR FM NORMAL: 0.71 (precip) 2 = FOG REDUCING VISIBILITY
HIGHEST: 57 ON 2, 1 GRTST 24HR 0.69 ON 15-15 TO 1/4 MILE OR LESS
LOWEST: 26 ON 11
MARCH TO DATE DPTR FM NORMAL: -4.8
FEB DPTR FM NORMAL: -1.8
JAN DPTR FM NORMAL: -1.9
DEC DPTR FM NORMAL: -3.8
Brrr – Usually the daffodils are blooming and the cherry blossoms are starting to show by now. My chives started three weeks ago and stopped at almost an inch high.
Crystal Mountain has got 7 feet of snow in the last two weeks.
If global warming does indeed wane for the long term, as some recent studies suggest, I will miss it.
Climate change for ya.
PS – Congrats Mr. Watts, and thanks for your tireless efforts
There ought to be a law
“UK Sceptic (05:43:39) : I love the smell of panicking warmists in the morning…”
Good one! Funny too! It does smell like victory, doesn’t it!
“UPDATE: The author’s claim of breaking a record by -12 degrees may be in error. I’m checking and will make an update this evening. – Anthony”
I had read it was broken by -14, not -12.
I’ll be looking for what Anthony finds in the data.
Just Want Truth… (17:35:07) :
“UK Sceptic (05:43:39) : I love the smell of panicking warmists in the morning…”
Good one! Funny too! It does smell like victory, doesn’t it!
I wouldn’t pop the champange corks yet. CAP and Trade is still on the agenda, and it will be a pyrrhic ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victory ) victory if we drop into another maunder minimum and Little (or not so little) Ice Age
Just Want Truth… (17:08:18) :
” Richard (04:41:58) : ‘one swallow does not make a summer’.”
I think you guys can drop saying this by now. There’s been a cooling trend in the earth since 2004 (really since 1998 😉 ) and it’s continuing. There’s been record cold reported for more than two years. Cooling PDO and AMO happening now. A quiet sun…
You can believe the data. It’s ok.
I keep reading about the AMO shifting cool – but I haven’t seen a link to any evidence.
Could someone please supply a link.
Thanks in advance. G