From the Daily Skeptic
Chris Morrison
Earlier this month, the Met Office claimed that climate change was causing “a dramatic increase in the frequency of extreme temperatures and the number of temperature records in the UK”. Given what we now know from recent Freedom of Information (FOI) revelations about the status of its “junk” national temperature measurement network, it’s hard to see how the Met Office could make such a statement with a straight face.
The claims are key findings in the operation's latest UK climate report, which is said to be based on “observations from a network of UK weather stations, using data dating back to 19th century provides the long-term context”. Within the network, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) considers nearly 8 out of 10 sites to have “uncertainties” (i.e. potential errors) between 2-5°C. The same waste stations that provide “record” daily temperatures are often in the same location, such as Heathrow Airport's City Heat Furnace. The Met Office uses the same rubbish measurements to claim finishing measurements as low as one hundredth of a degree Celsius.
The World Meteorological Organization rates weather stations based on the extent of nearby unnatural or natural temperature changes. Corrosion at 2°C and 5°C is possible in Levels 4 and 5 respectively, and these areas account for the vast majority of Bureau of Meteorology sites. WMO recommends that Level 5 should not be used to provide accurate measurements of nearby air temperatures, but nearly a third of Met Office sites fall into this super-junk category. Only categories 1 and 2 have no additional uncertainties and only these can be used for serious scientific observation work. But puzzlingly, the Met Office has few such unspoiled sites. Even more worryingly, there appears to be no sign of a significant increase in the number of original sites.
Man-made and urban heat erosion is the problem, with airports seeing extreme conditions that could increase overall temperatures by many degrees. But the incident has been known for some time and why the Met Office did nothing about it is a mystery. Recent Freedom of Information revelations show that more than eight of the 113 stations opened in the past 30 years fall into waste categories 4 and 5. Eight of the stations have been garbage stations in the past five years.
It's as if the Met Office is actively seeking higher readings in the face of ongoing weather disasters to promote net zero emissions. Whatever the reason—incompetence or political messaging—serious science seems to be a loser. As currently set up, the Met Office network cannot provide a realistic guide to natural temperatures across the UK, and using the data to help calculate global temperatures is equally problematic.
Of course, the Met Office can rely on its helpful messengers in the mainstream media to keep mum about this growing scientific scandal. Central to “net zero” fear-mongering is rising temperatures and claims that “extreme” weather will increase as a result. Temperatures have risen slightly over the past 200 years since the end of the Little Ice Age, and the clues to a pleasant rebound are evident. But that’s not enough to force humanity into net-zero madness, so fancy climate models and bloated temperature databases will be needed. The compliant media was uninterested, but cynicism and outright ridicule of the Met Office's temperature antics grew. The Met Office posts regularly on Last week it declared the “hottest day of the year” based on measurements at Heathrow Airport. Here are some of the more polite comments received:
Why is the LHR hotter than surrounding areas? I'll give you a clue – maybe concrete and hot spray exhaust?
Real temperatures should be taken in the open air away from London.
…Manipulate temperatures to suit the climate agenda.
Might as well measure in the oven.
It's all designed to suit your agenda.
I have a brighter red highlight in my font that I can lend to you if you feel that the font you chose doesn't have enough promotional power!
Remind us where you took your temperature recordings last century, because it wasn't on the scorching tarmac of an airport.
Urban heat islands shouldn't count, and you know it, but the deception continues.
“Our new analysis of these observations does reveal the aspects of weather that are changing most rapidly as a result of climate change,” the Met Office claimed in its most recent annual report. It’s not just temperature data that goes into the net zero table, but also rainfall. In a recent article, tireless investigative journalist Paul Homewood examined how the Met Office creates precipitation. daily skeptic. He agreed with the Met Office that rainfall had increased since 1961, but asked why that year was chosen as the start of the timetable. The image below shows why.
England and Wales are rainy countries, but their island position in the North Atlantic results in regular seasonal, annual and long-term decadal variations. 1961 was a drier period and current totals are similar to those in the 1930s, 1880s and 1780s.
Through its extensive use of satellite imagery and measurement data, the Met Office does an excellent job of predicting short-term weather, with great benefits to shipping, the military, agriculture and the general public. But the national body, which funds more than £100m a year, is clearly riddled with green campaigners who, according to evidence from some skeptical journalists, are using unreliable data, carefully curated statistics and inaccurate measurements to promote their views on green. Environmental attachment.
Chris Morrison is daily skeptic environment editor
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