This graph got rather buried at the end of a long explanatory post showing the twists and turns I had to take to get the data. I think it needs front and center exposure, so I’m putting it here.
It is rather hot over asphalt. It’s even warmer when the temperature sensor malfunctions and creates a string of new record highs that the NWS does not see fit to remove from the records.
Graph of PHNL and PTWC station data for June 2009 – click for larger imageNote when the highs (Tmax) converged for the first time this month to within one degree.
The data from the two Oahu stations, 3.9 miles apart on the south shore. When plotted side by side, was telling. I marked missing data, the record high events, and when the ASOS was repaired.
Which station is more representative of the climate of Oahu? One is at an airport, one is not. Which station is doing a more accurate job of depicting climate? Details here.
Honolulu airport ASOS looking south – photo from NOAA, annotations addedDiscover more from Watts Up With That?
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And here’s what SST around the island tells us:
http://climexp.knmi.nl/data/iersstv3b_-156–155E_19-20N_n_1975:2009_1975:2009a.txt
Also note the effect of the 97/8 El Nino.
As an old Sawrs (Supplemental Aviation Weather Reporting Station) observer,there is nothng like the Human brain and Mk1 eyeball for accuracy.
This is a true FUBAR as Anthony said..
It’s like a whole swarm of climate rationalists attacking Honolulu screaming FUBAR! FUBAR! FUBAR!
NO QUESTIONS.
Can I have both my eggs over easy please, I don’t want one of them fried to death.
Thanks.
In my opinion the front and center exposure of your graph is warranted. Earlier today I selected it and some pertinent excerpts from your previous post to use in an effort to try and convince a correspondent that the AGW science is not yet settled. Perhaps a futile effort, but I suggested that a person can not have a balanced view of AGW reality without being aware of the issues concerning this station and many others.
Anthony,
Great work in digging this out and bringing it to the fore.
When I first began trying to understand global warming and the scientific (so called I now understand) debate that supported it 7 years ago I had accepted temperature records at face value and could see clearly a 150 year trend in warming.
Over the years I have learned a little about UHI (thanks mostly to your work) but this one finding is perhaps the most startling evidence of its potential impact (notwithstanding the sensor problems at the airport).
I do not doubt that the earth has warmed over 150 years but the scale of that warming has to be questioned. This is not a singular example at Honolulu but it is perhaps the epitome of the problem.
Pielke Snr has shown repeatedly the impact of land use change on our climate and I hope that soon scientists on all sides start to acknowledge this issue as a key factor before we run off doing untold damage to our economies chasing a spurious (at best) concern over AGW from carbon emissions.
Most importantly, one day I hope your tireless efforts are duly recognised.
Honolulu may have to wait a while before they see tons and tons of records per year according to this article
http://www.iceagenow.com/World_Cooling_for_100_years-Climate_alarmism_challenged.htm
weatheraction.com’s breakthrough forecasting system is predicting global cooling till 2030 and will stay cooler than the recent temp. peak in 02/03 for more than 100 years. To show that you can have stock in their forecasts their 3 week forecast was confirmed to be accurate with the 1st Pacific Typhoon of the season. Another reason you could possibly take stock is because they’re also not driven by politics 🙂
The AGW crowd shoul go to the bear territory, in Churchill Manitoba. They might find something interesting there…
Ecotretas
These data are recorded by an ASOS station. Wasn’t it an ASOS station that set an all time state record low in IL last winter? And wasn’t it disallowed because it was recorded by an ASOS? Apparently ASOS are only useful in measuring high temperatures.
Tim
temper man(11:04:38) It is not just Honolulu that is being attacked. Look at the link to surfacestations.org. Really look at it. The data that is used to set climate policy is FUBAR, ……
Tim F (12:01:14) :
“These data are recorded by an ASOS station. Wasn’t it an ASOS station that set an all time state record low in IL last winter? And wasn’t it disallowed because it was recorded by an ASOS? Apparently ASOS are only useful in measuring high temperatures.”
Egzellent point. More hypocritical doublespeak from the chicken littles akin to alleging both warming and cooling is due to global warming.
Anthony, could you please serve that Mann over in the corner some of those eggs with a serving of kentucky fried crow?
Totally OT
Since there are no sunspots visible, supercomputers are now used to model them.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090618143958.htm
FUBAR
Hmmmm. Jim Weyman has just sent an e-mail to everyone who was nice enough to write him to express their concern about the sensor issue:
I am responding to everyone who has emailed me and/or my staff. I have bcced everyone to protect their privacy.
I’d like to thank everyone who has written, for their comments, their insights, and their support of the US National Weather Service (NWS).
I am Jim Weyman the Director of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and Meteorologist in Charge of the NWS Weather Forecast Office, Honolulu. I have been in my position for the past 13 years. I work with some of the greatest people both in the NWS and with our partners in the media, public, state and local government, civil defense (emergency management), and many others.
There have been several errors in the comments I have received concerning weather in Hawaii. We forecast from sea surface to over 13,000 feet. We forecast the occurrence of tropical cyclones, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, high surf, and even blizzards. When the Weather Channel wanted to do a special on Weather and Geography, they came to Hawaii. We have more varied weather types than almost anywhere else in the US. In Hawaii, you can surf in the morning and snow ski in the afternoon. On the Big Island of Hawaii, you can go from rain forest to deserts in about 20 miles. On Oahu, the annual rainfall varies from 20 to over 100 inches in different parts of the approximately 25 miles by 40 miles island.
There have been some thoughtful comments on the web regarding the temperature at the Honolulu Airport. I believe some people have misunderstood or incorrectly interpret these data. The Honolulu Airport observation is for aviation airport purpose. These observations are critical for aviation safety and operations and for weather forecasts for the airport. So this observation is representative of the area where aircraft operations occur. Daily, there are hundreds of landings and takeoffs at the airport, so it directly supports these operations. Because weather and climate conditions vary rapidly in Hawaii by location, we have many other observations sites in Hawaii which are representative of other, non-airport sites on Oahu. Observation sites separated by 3-4 miles can differ significantly.
As most of you know, all sensors and most equipment have calibration tolerances. This can be a range of one hundredth of an inch for some and larger amounts for others. Meteorological sensors’ calibration tolerances are usually plus and minus some range of the parameter being measured. The plus or minus two degrees for the airport temperature reflects the calibration tolerance and the design specifications of the instrument. Two sensors side by side, working properly will show variations. During the past week, the NWS checked the accuracy of the airport temperature sensor on three different occasions and all three times it was within tolerance.
Someone mentioned Climate Reference Network (CRN) sites. The CRN was designed to meet very stringent climate requirements and the Honolulu Airport is not one of the CRN sites. NOAA’s NWS knows the importance of accurate climate observations and therefore designed the CRN and is installing them to meet climate requirements. The Honolulu Airport site is not designed as a CRN site, but was and is designed for airport operations. As in any area of the US, different sites are designed to serve different purposes.
WFO Honolulu can not change these documented airport observations, because there is no scientific basis to make these changes. The instrumentation was within its tolerance. I believe any person or group making subjective, relative changes to official observations could lead to many unknown problems. Without scientific, objective data, I believe to change any observations by plus or minus of 1, 2, or 3 degrees over entire days (or should it be only parts of day or hours?) is highly subjective, can’t be scientifically justified, and could lead to many other unknown changes and impacts in the future.
Once again, I thank you all for you interest, insights, and assistance. I appreciate this opportunity to answer some of your questions and concerns. Thanks!
Best Regards and Aloha,
Jim
Hmmm, it seems that Jim Weyman neatly skirted the pertinent questions regarding the readings.
I gathered from Jim Weyman’s comments that the data isn’t used by NOAA for climate data purposes, forcasting etc. and that it is used solely for aviation purposes.
Is that correct?
REPLY: Yes, it was designed for aviation, that is the primary mission, but he’s dead wrong about it if he’s claiming it is not being used for climate.
NCDC lists it as follows:
ASOS, ASOS-NWS, COOP, COOPERATIVE SUB-NETWORK- AB, LAND SURFACE
the fact that is is listed in “SUB-NETWORK- AB” is the giveaway. The “A” network is primary climate network. All USHCN stations are part of the “A” network, but not all “A” network stations are USHCN.
And here is NOAA’s own description of ASOS from this page: (emphasis mine)
http://www.weather.gov/ops2/ops24/asos.htm
Plus, NASA GISS uses it and perhaps hundreds more ASOS stations fpr their climate studies. That’s irrefutable, and the most important thing Weyman said here is that it shouldn’t be used for climate purposes. -Anthony
Wonder if Jim can explain where the “lost” PTWC station went. NOAA credibility sinks further into the overheated mire.
OT – The Wong-Fieding meeting on Global Warmin
http://joannenova.com.au/2009/06/19/the-wong-fielding-meeting-on-global-warming/
As you remember, Fielding is an Australian Senator asking the right questions. He asked questions seeking evidence that human emissions of carbon dioxide were the main cause of global warming. He has control of the vote since his vote can give a win or lose to the Senate vote on Global Warming Emission Trading Scheme legislation.
They had what looks like a civilised meetingbut did not get clear answers to his questions from the doomsday warmists, but he did get clean answers from the skeptic scientists.
My reply to the mass email referenced at 13:31:34…
Jim:
Thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding that the Honolulu Airport facility’s data is suitable for use as a source for the study of climate and as a basis for conclusions arising therefrom.
My advice to my congressmen will focus on this fact you have made clear in regard to the data the Honolulu airport and similar stations produce and the fact that such data is only appropriate for aviation purposes – it being improper to to include such measurements as part of the Climate Reference Network.
I appreciate your frank and open reply, I think it represents a real step forward for climate science in this country.
Anne (13:10:52) :
The picture of the simulated sunspot has a strange effect on my vision… when I look at the picture, the sunspot throbes. I can’t look at it too long.
Funny though how they justify their research by admitting how important it is to understand sunspots since htey have an important impact on Earth’s climate… well, well.
Anthony, take a look at this post if you haven’t already! http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=101511
Foz, correction:
Honolulu Airport facility’s data is NOT suitable
Anthony, you and your team of Temp Busters will be recognized by history as modern-day Martin Luthers. Even as the Lamestream Midiots try to vilify you and your fellow truth seekers as “flat-Earthers” and “Big Oil” shills, your even-handed, scientific methodology will, in the end, prove that AGW is the biggest fraud ever foisted upon mankind.
You will go down in history as a visionary and a hero, even though that’s not what you set out to do.
We all owe you and your fellow scientists a debt of gratitude that we’ll never be able to fully repay.
REPLY: Martin Luther? Hmmm. Maybe next time I’m in New York, I’ll nail a copy of my surface temperature project report to Jim Hansen’s door at Columbia. – Anthony
“Martin Luther? Hmmm. Maybe next time I’m in New York, I’ll nail a copy of my surface temperature project report to Jim Hansen’s door at Columbia. – Anthony”
Or the White House?