By Steve Goddard
People see what they want or expect to see. A great example is in today’s NASA Earth Observatory image of the day article.
A heat wave scorched the eastern United States in early July 2010, straining power grids, slowing transit, forcing nursing homes to evacuate, and prompting East Coast residents to shelter in “cooling centers,” according to news reports. Temperatures topped 105 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) in Baltimore for two consecutive days. The heat wave was a global phenomenon. Beijing also experienced near-record heat, and temperatures soared to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) in Kuwait. This global map shows temperature anomalies for July 4–11, 2010, compared to temperatures for the same dates from 2000 to 2008. The anomalies are based on land surface temperatures observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite. Areas with above-average temperatures appear in red and orange, and areas with below-average temperatures appear in shades of blue. Oceans, lakes, and areas with insufficient data (usually because of persistent clouds) appear in gray.
The author missed mentioning the fact that almost all of Mexico and Australia were far below normal. The author missed the fact that much of north and equatorial Africa was below normal, as was much of Asia and eastern Europe.
To quantify this, I did a pixel count on their high resolution image.
It turns out that 5% more pixels were below normal than were above normal. The animation below makes this easier to visualize. Red is above average temperatures, blue is below average temperatures, and white represents average temperatures.
Below are close up animations
This is not a perfect equal area projection – so the pixel count method is not 100% accurate. However, it is clear that NASA claims of a global heat wave are incorrect. Some places were hot, other places (like where I live) were cold.
The author noted that it is hot in Kuwait in July? What are the chances of that?
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Don’t confuse ’em with the facts…
Brilliant!
Nice.
What software are you using to count pixels?
WTG Steve! That’s funny to turn their own maps used for hyperbole into maps of reason and rationale. Of course, we know the response will be “but the blue areas were only moderately cool while the red areas were really, super, tremendously hot!”
I just watched the global evening national news (Canada). The anchor was selling the world is melting right off of the Nasa press release. I don’t suppose the objective researched story exists anywhere any more…
Glen Shevlin says:
July 16, 2010 at 4:13 pm
“…… I don’t suppose the objective researched story exists anywhere any more…”
Objective researched stories? What is this that you speak of?
Maybe the Islamic world buys the crap from NASA.
We certainly don’t.
Thanks for a job well done.
Hey Steve; I don’t see the ice anywhere; what happened to that ?
I sure do like your blink comparator imagery. It’s amazing what the eye can perceive in a flash; when presented in a useful way.
And nice that you have access to the raw pixels to play with.
Stories about the Gulf War; and Iraq, talked of Coalition troops out in all their gear with Temperatures as high as 134 F; which I take to be in shade air Temperatures; what’s the chance of that in July. And Vostok, could be pushing -90 C or thereabouts at exactly the same time.
George
NOAA has a narrative they are expected to support. I expect this administration to do everything within their power to get passage of watered down version of cap and trade before the August recess. Then they will come back in November to pass the full version during the lame duck session. Until then expect nothing but alarm from NOAA.
You know, I do wonder how much of the “record summer highs” in cities in summer is due to air conditioning discharges.
NASA shows Australia as colder than a witch’s pips…. and NOAA says they’re frying! I sure feel real good about funding these fine public servants in their pursuit of scientific truths! Makes one proud to be a US tax paying citizen, it does!!!
//sarcasm off
Be afraid, very afraid. The heat in D.C. is unpresedented. Actually it caused an earth quake. Remember Haiti?
Rumor has it was caused by Barney Frank slipping in the bathtube. Still checking on the rumour.
Hyperbole warning – as in “figure of speech” – can’t be to careful in these the heydays of “political correctness” .
Gotta love it when someone uses their opponents own guns on them :). WTG!
I love the blinkometers, but in this case they aren’t even necessary. NASA’s own original map screams ‘normal distribution, mean of zero!!!’ Without counting anything, it’s obvious that the above-befores equal the below-befores.
If anyone from NASA is reading this (hah, of course they are!) can NASA please rotate the Earth a bit to the east so that New Zealand shows?
In a recent article that I’ve lost track of, NZ has the highest proportion of sceptics per population of any country, and should not be ignored. We’ve also had record low temperatures here. Thank you so much!
I don’t have access to the news report because I didn’t buy the paper and can’t find it online, but The Star (the supermarket tabloid) reports that in the future, Earth will be so hot that humanity will have evolved wings to keep from touching the surface.
I think The Star has some real climatologists on board.
I grew up in awe of NASA and what they could accomplish. Man, the current crop of activists that have taken over are sure trying every trick in the book to trade in on the great reputation earned by their wonderful scientist and engineer predecessors. Just about reached the credibility limit by now, though, I would think. What a tough job some future guys will have trying to restore the organization’s standing – probably better to just disestablish the place and start over with new names and teams. Quite sad, really, but it seems to be happening to a lot of previously great institutions. Thanks, Gramsci.
Objective researched stories? What is this that you speak of?
or to be even more pedantic – “What is this of which you speak?”
and
it’s really hot in Kuwait in July – sheesh – who’d a thunk it?
They say “The heat wave was a global phenomenon.”
What did they say about the freezing cold and snow this past winter over the northern hemisphere and other areas? It snowed in SAUDI ARABAI.
BBC News – Snow hits Mediterranean coast
Pythons, citrus and iguanas perish in Florida frost not to forget our beloved corals and warm loving manatees.
I could go on but you see cherry picking is easy especially when it’s warm. :o)
Correction:
It snowed in SAUDI ARABAI. [ARABIA]
Anybody else notice the DMI polar temp graph this week – looks like it might dip down below freezing again in July….but NOAA has arctic as warm,
Frank Lee MeiDere says:
July 16, 2010 at 5:18 pm
“I don’t have access to the news report because I didn’t buy the paper and can’t find it online, but The Star (the supermarket tabloid) reports that in the future, Earth will be so hot that humanity will have evolved wings to keep from touching the surface. ”
Obviously a reference to the Homo Vespertilio :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Moon_Hoax
Poor Judd is dead
A candle lights his head
He’s lyin’ there so peaceful and serene.
So long, NASA, it was great while it lasted.
I’ve been a bit snippy about Eurotrash questioning the future of NASA. Guess I’m done with that.
You are brilliant. Thanks for this illiminating look at the map and maps. Often people say to me that it sure is hot today. And I say to them, “Are you aware that you live in Kuwait [actual name withheld]?”
This is the same image you can get at the Nasa earth observatory website (click on 8 day anomaly for July 4th to July 11th) at:
http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/Search.html?group=67
One can also download the temp anomalies from this image in 1.5 degree blocks in a CSV for Excel format.
The average anomaly in the map is -0.03C (versus the 2000-2008 baseline) so it was not scorching hot – it was just below average for the relevant time period.