Jennifer Marohasy had an interesting post this week on further explanations by the Bureau for their weird adjustments at Rutherglen. I was particularly interested in this graphic, which is Chart 3 on the Bureau’s station adjustment summary for Rutherglen. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/acorn-sat/documents/station-adjustment-summary-Rutherglen.pdf
The Bureau is comparing Rutherglen’s raw minima with the adjusted data from Wagga Wagga, Deniliquin, and Kerang. Three questions immediately spring to mind: 1. As Dr Marohasy points out, what is the Bureau doing comparing raw with adjusted data? Of course they’re going to have different trends! 2. Why is Kerang shown, when Kerang is NOT included as a neighbour station used to adjust Rutherglen? And 3. What difference does this make?
Time for a reality check.
This graph compares like with like: raw minima for Rutherglen and the same neighbours. Note that only Kerang is warming, and Wagga Wagga is flat, but Deniliquin and Rutherglen are cooling.
This graph again compares like with like, the same stations but with adjusted data.
You might think that this shows Rutherglen is now homogenised with the others correctly. However, when we examine the differences in anomalies from the 1961-1990 means between Rutherglen and the others, we get this:
They still got it wrong! The trend in differences should be close to zero. Rutherglen’s adjusted record is warming too fast (+0.5C per 100 years) relative to the three neighbours used by the BOM in their explanation.
And note that since 1974, Rutherglen’s minima have been cooling relative to the others. Perhaps that cooling they corrected for was real after all?
Even if Rutherglen needs to be adjusted; even if these three sites are adjusted correctly; even if Kerang is one of the stations used by the Bureau to adjust Rutherglen- the adjustments at Rutherglen are over cooked.
The “scientists” in charge of the climate change department in the Bureau deserve all the ridicule they get.
More than that- they are not to be trusted with the nation’s climate history. We don’t trust their data; we don’t trust their methods; we don’t trust their results; and we don’t trust their motives.
Tags: Acorn, adjustments, Bureau of Meteorology, climate
kenskingdom 
August 15, 2015 at 8:55 pm
It’s adjustments like these that lead to the July GISS temps showing Scotland and NW Norway as av. to above normal when it’s been distinctly below. In Southern England it’s been about average yet GISS have a big fat orange blob over us. This earlier post by Mark Vogan highlights the disparity well:
http://www.markvoganweather.com/2015/07/22/cold-uk-summer-2015-in-midst-of-globes-warmest-year-on-record/
August 16, 2015 at 7:55 am
Good work. Just a pity that more people aren’t aware of these shenanigans.
August 17, 2015 at 5:56 am
Ken you have been too kind with your comments, There are no “scientist” working at the BoM, Just activist and high priest of the new Gaia/Warmist religion. If the results don’t fit the theory, well only one thing to do: change the results!! To call them “shonks” and Liers is still toooo Kind by far!
August 22, 2015 at 11:31 pm
Great work Ken. Really appreciate learning this.
Question – the third graph “adjusted data” has inadvertantly cropped the years annotation. Would it be possible to widen the border so it displays correctly.
August 23, 2015 at 9:40 pm
Sorry- can’t fix right now.
August 25, 2015 at 10:12 am
This is O/T but I hope everyone has a chance to look at this latest report from the OZ Climate Council. That’s Flannery, Steffen etc. Just unbelievable, let’s hope Ken has the time to ponder their nonsense.
http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/climate-change-2015-growing-risks-critical-choices
August 29, 2015 at 8:47 am
I hope Ken and others can make a comment on this post from Tony Heller. It would seem that hot days were more common in OZ in the earlier record. Certainly from 1880 to 1940 if Tony is correct.
http://realclimatescience.com/2015/08/hot-days-occurring-less-frequently-in-australia/
November 1, 2015 at 11:03 am
Can we get some locals to verify that Rutherglen station has not been moved ?
November 1, 2015 at 11:42 am
I’m up in Queensland so it’s a bit hard for me.