NOAA Deception Over 2012 Heatwave

By Paul Homewood

As part of their “2012 Second Most Extreme Year” propaganda, NOAA include a section entitled “Summer Days over 100F”. They comment:-

The nation has experienced its warmest and 2nd warmest summers in back-to-back years. The heatwave that gripped the Southern Plains in 2011 was intense and long lasting, resulting a record warm June-August for several southern states. While the summer heatwave in 2012 was not as intense, it was further reaching. In 2012, approximately one-third of the nation’s population experienced ten or more days of 100°F temperatures.

They then show the map below.

An unaware reader would be excused for thinking that this was all utterly unprecedented, but, if they do they, will have been tricked.

The first thing to notice is that NOAA offer nothing against which to compare these numbers. So let’s help them out.

Kansas certainly lies at the heart of the summer heatwave in both 2011 and 2012.

Climate At A Glance

Summer (Jun-Aug) Temperature

Kansas

A quick look at the NCDC graph of summer temperatures for Kansas shows straightaway that NOAA have not been telling the whole truth. Temperatures were much higher in 1934 and 1936. Indeed there have been eight summers, since 1895, that have been hotter than 2012.

But what about days over 100F. I hear you ask!

Horton is a small town in Kansas, with a population of 1776. According to the metadata, the USHCN station has been in exactly the same spot since 1893. The original hand written monthly meteorological records are available for all USHCN stations, via NOAA’s website. These list daily temperature observations, as in the example below from July 1934.

http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS-3F639F96-1006-4BE0-9CC8-05B9425DEA26.pdf

Using these records, let’s compare the summers of 2011 and 2012, with those of 1934, 1936 and 1980.

Year Days 100F & Over Days 106F & Over 1934 49 27 1936 43 24 1980 25 8 2011 5 0 2012 17 1

Clearly, the heatwave was much longer and more intense in both 1934 and 1936, and even 1980. The hottest day last year was 106F, but these sort of temperatures were commonplace in previous years. Indeed, in 1934, the temperature reached 111F on three separate days, while two years later there were two days which were even hotter, at 112F.

Nobody is denying that the summer last year was unusually warm, both in Kansas and the rest of the US. However, for NOAA to publish the information, that they have, without putting it into context, is misleading and dishonest.

NOAA, it seems, are making a habit of this. Jane Lubchenko’s claim that “Scientific integrity is at the core of producing and using good science. By being open and honest about our science, we build understanding and trust” rings rather hollow these days.