Climate Change Scientists Admit Dumping Data
Monday, November 30, 2009
Scientists have admitted throwing away much of the raw temperature data on which predictions of global warming were based
Scientists at the University of East Anglia have admitted throwing away much of the raw temperature data on which their predictions of global warming are based.
It means that other academics are not able to check basic calculations said to show a long-term rise in temperature over the past 150 years.
The UEA’s Climatic Research Unit CRU was forced to reveal the loss following requests for the data under Freedom of Information legislation.
The data were gathered from weather stations around the world and then adjusted to take account of variables in the way they were collected. The revised figures were kept, but the originals — stored on paper and magnetic tape — were dumped to save space when the CRU moved to a new building.
The admission follows the leaking of a thousand private emails sent and received by Professor Phil Jones, the CRU’s director. In them he discusses thwarting climate sceptics seeking access to such data.
In a statement on its website, the CRU said: "We do not hold the original raw data but only the value-added (quality controlled and homogenized) data."
The CRU is the world’s leading center for reconstructing past climate and temperatures. Climate change sceptics have long been keen to examine exactly how its data were compiled. That is now impossible.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Big Eastern Snow-Storm Next Week?
I keep hearing rumors a major early-season snow storm for somewhere in the Eastern US next week. What do the Studly Geeks, and Geeky Babes say? - HLG
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Dr BB Was Right (as usual!)
Doesn't sound good for Quikscat, and no new mission on the horizon, since we are giving up on space exploration. Maybe the Chinese can fly one, and we will buy the data? - HLG
QuikScat satellite suffers a malfunction
Published: Nov. 24, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Aging U.S. weather satellite faltering
PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- NASA says its QuikScat satellite has suffered a malfunction and now scientists are assessing options for future operations of the 10-year-old mission.
The space agency said a mechanism that spins the scatterometer antenna has been failing during recent months. That spinning antenna had been providing near-real-time ocean wind speed and direction data over 90 percent of the global ocean every day.
The degradation of QuikScat's rotating antenna was expected, NASA said, since the spin mechanism was designed to last about 5 years. The antenna finally stopped spinning early Monday.
NASA officials said managers will review contingency plans … for restarting the antenna and also assess options for using the mission in its present degraded state to advance Earth system science in the event the antenna cannot be restarted.
The 10-year-old QuikScat satellite, designed for a two-year mission, has achieved and far surpassed its science objectives, NASA said. QuikScat has been used by the world's meteorological agencies to improve weather forecasts and identify the location, size and strength of hurricanes and other storms.
More information on QuikScat is available at http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm.
QuikScat satellite suffers a malfunction
Published: Nov. 24, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Aging U.S. weather satellite faltering
PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 24 (UPI) -- NASA says its QuikScat satellite has suffered a malfunction and now scientists are assessing options for future operations of the 10-year-old mission.
The space agency said a mechanism that spins the scatterometer antenna has been failing during recent months. That spinning antenna had been providing near-real-time ocean wind speed and direction data over 90 percent of the global ocean every day.
The degradation of QuikScat's rotating antenna was expected, NASA said, since the spin mechanism was designed to last about 5 years. The antenna finally stopped spinning early Monday.
NASA officials said managers will review contingency plans … for restarting the antenna and also assess options for using the mission in its present degraded state to advance Earth system science in the event the antenna cannot be restarted.
The 10-year-old QuikScat satellite, designed for a two-year mission, has achieved and far surpassed its science objectives, NASA said. QuikScat has been used by the world's meteorological agencies to improve weather forecasts and identify the location, size and strength of hurricanes and other storms.
More information on QuikScat is available at http://winds.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/quikscat/index.cfm.
Monday, November 23, 2009
QuikSCAT Dead???
“Several hours ago, shortly past 7:00Z today, telemetry received from QuikSCAT indicates that the antenna rotation rate has dropped to zero and remains at zero. The motor remains powered. The system can be operated safely in this state for an indefinite period. The QuikSCAT operations team will be meeting later this morning, but in all likelihood this is probably the end of the nominal mission.”
Saturday, November 21, 2009
TIME TO WATCH THE BUOYS
NOAA/NCEP Wavewatch is forecasting large waves to impact the UK this weekend. Keep an eye on the Brittany Buoy (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62163) and the K2 Buoy (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62081) as the wave heights build.
BB
Friday, November 20, 2009
I tried to take this story seriously.
And the devastation was real enough. However, once I read the the town of Cockermouth was worst hit, and the Suck River overflowed, well I just couldn't take it any longer, and burst out laughing. HLG
Devastating Floods Swamp U.K. Lake District, Ireland
Friday, November 20, 2009
COCKERMOUTH, England — Military helicopters winched dozens of people to safety and emergency workers in inflatable boats rescued scores more as floods on Friday swamped northern England's picturesque Lake District. One police officer died after a bridge was swept away by the surging waters.
British soldiers conducted house-to-house searches for those trapped by floods as deep as 8 feet. Troops also dropped down on lines from air force helicopters, breaking through rooftops to pluck people to safety.
Emergency services said more than 200 people were rescued in the hardest-hit town, Cockermouth. At least 960 homes were flooded after a day of unprecedented rain, police in the northern region of Cumbria said.
Heavy rain and gales also brought widespread flooding to Ireland, as more than 3 feet (1 meter) of water shut down the center of the country's second-largest city, Cork, and more than a dozen towns and villages.
Cockermouth, a market town 330 miles (530 kilometers) northwest of London, lies at the junction of the Cocker and Derwent rivers and is known for being the birthplace of poet William Wordsworth.
"It has devastated the town," said Michael Dunn, manager of the Bitter End pub in Cockermouth. "There is a lot of properties in Main Street, private shops, that have had their windows smashed in by the force of the water and by debris in the water.
"There were cars floating down the street. It will be a long time before Cockermouth recovers from this."
The rain stopped and floodwaters began to ease Friday, giving rescuers a chance to reach trapped people by boat. Debris swirled around the boats as they pulled people to safety.
Tony Walker of Cockermouth told BBC radio he was on the top floor of his house and the water on the ground floor was chest-high.
"I've had better mornings," Walker said. "I've been here all night and I've run out of water now, so I'm thinking of making a break for it, really. The water is still pretty deep, it's going down, but at this rate it's going to be hours before it's clear."
Forecasters said the rainfall was unprecedented. The Environment Agency recorded 12.3 inches (314.4 millimeter) of rain in 24 hours in one spot — one of the wettest days ever recorded in England.
"It looks like a very historical event," said Julian Mayes, a forecaster with MeteoGroup UK.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC that flood defenses were meant to withstand a one-in-100-years flood — but could not cope with the volume of water.
"What we dealt with last night was probably more like one-in-a-1,000, so even the very best defenses, if you have such quantities of rain in such a short space of time, can be over-topped," Benn said.
Police urged people not to travel, as many roads were impassible. Two bridges collapsed in the town of Workington, including a main one over the River Derwent. Cumbria Police said Constable Bill Barker, 45, died after he was knocked into the water when the structure gave way.
"This is a stone bridge — to wash away a bridge of that size and dimension is incredible," said lawmaker Tony Cunningham.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown that he had spoken to Cumbria Chief Constable Craig Mackey to offer help.
"Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by these floods," Brown said.
The Irish army deployed more than 100 soldiers, two dozen trucks and several flat-bottomed boats to evacuate people trapped by waist-deep floodwaters in cars and homes. A helicopter also winched to safety a County Galway family of five, including the 87-year-old grandmother.
The floods caused transport chaos along Ireland's western coast, with many major roads blocked and train services canceled.
The water caused extensive damage to the Lake Hotel on the shores of the fabled Killarney Lakes in County Kerry. About 170 guests at the Victorian period building had to be evacuated by tractor as dozens of staff carried period furniture upstairs.
The hotel's 12th-century castle, normally a floodlit tourist's highlight on the lake vista, was almost completely under water Friday.
"You can just see the top of the castle and everything else is covered," said the hotel's general manager, Niall Huggard.
The River Suck burst its banks in County Leitrim near the Northern Ireland border, flooding the town of Ballinasloe and cutting off major roads to Ireland's northwest. About 40 families had to be evacuated by boat.
The Irish weather forecasting service, Met Eireann, said parts of southern and western Ireland suffered their most intense and sustained rainfall in 30 years.
Friday was mostly sunny but more rain and gales were forecast for the weekend.
Devastating Floods Swamp U.K. Lake District, Ireland
Friday, November 20, 2009
COCKERMOUTH, England — Military helicopters winched dozens of people to safety and emergency workers in inflatable boats rescued scores more as floods on Friday swamped northern England's picturesque Lake District. One police officer died after a bridge was swept away by the surging waters.
British soldiers conducted house-to-house searches for those trapped by floods as deep as 8 feet. Troops also dropped down on lines from air force helicopters, breaking through rooftops to pluck people to safety.
Emergency services said more than 200 people were rescued in the hardest-hit town, Cockermouth. At least 960 homes were flooded after a day of unprecedented rain, police in the northern region of Cumbria said.
Heavy rain and gales also brought widespread flooding to Ireland, as more than 3 feet (1 meter) of water shut down the center of the country's second-largest city, Cork, and more than a dozen towns and villages.
Cockermouth, a market town 330 miles (530 kilometers) northwest of London, lies at the junction of the Cocker and Derwent rivers and is known for being the birthplace of poet William Wordsworth.
"It has devastated the town," said Michael Dunn, manager of the Bitter End pub in Cockermouth. "There is a lot of properties in Main Street, private shops, that have had their windows smashed in by the force of the water and by debris in the water.
"There were cars floating down the street. It will be a long time before Cockermouth recovers from this."
The rain stopped and floodwaters began to ease Friday, giving rescuers a chance to reach trapped people by boat. Debris swirled around the boats as they pulled people to safety.
Tony Walker of Cockermouth told BBC radio he was on the top floor of his house and the water on the ground floor was chest-high.
"I've had better mornings," Walker said. "I've been here all night and I've run out of water now, so I'm thinking of making a break for it, really. The water is still pretty deep, it's going down, but at this rate it's going to be hours before it's clear."
Forecasters said the rainfall was unprecedented. The Environment Agency recorded 12.3 inches (314.4 millimeter) of rain in 24 hours in one spot — one of the wettest days ever recorded in England.
"It looks like a very historical event," said Julian Mayes, a forecaster with MeteoGroup UK.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the BBC that flood defenses were meant to withstand a one-in-100-years flood — but could not cope with the volume of water.
"What we dealt with last night was probably more like one-in-a-1,000, so even the very best defenses, if you have such quantities of rain in such a short space of time, can be over-topped," Benn said.
Police urged people not to travel, as many roads were impassible. Two bridges collapsed in the town of Workington, including a main one over the River Derwent. Cumbria Police said Constable Bill Barker, 45, died after he was knocked into the water when the structure gave way.
"This is a stone bridge — to wash away a bridge of that size and dimension is incredible," said lawmaker Tony Cunningham.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown that he had spoken to Cumbria Chief Constable Craig Mackey to offer help.
"Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by these floods," Brown said.
The Irish army deployed more than 100 soldiers, two dozen trucks and several flat-bottomed boats to evacuate people trapped by waist-deep floodwaters in cars and homes. A helicopter also winched to safety a County Galway family of five, including the 87-year-old grandmother.
The floods caused transport chaos along Ireland's western coast, with many major roads blocked and train services canceled.
The water caused extensive damage to the Lake Hotel on the shores of the fabled Killarney Lakes in County Kerry. About 170 guests at the Victorian period building had to be evacuated by tractor as dozens of staff carried period furniture upstairs.
The hotel's 12th-century castle, normally a floodlit tourist's highlight on the lake vista, was almost completely under water Friday.
"You can just see the top of the castle and everything else is covered," said the hotel's general manager, Niall Huggard.
The River Suck burst its banks in County Leitrim near the Northern Ireland border, flooding the town of Ballinasloe and cutting off major roads to Ireland's northwest. About 40 families had to be evacuated by boat.
The Irish weather forecasting service, Met Eireann, said parts of southern and western Ireland suffered their most intense and sustained rainfall in 30 years.
Friday was mostly sunny but more rain and gales were forecast for the weekend.
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