Correcting Errors at the BOM: ACTON UPDATE

In its climate statement "Special Climate Statement 48 – one of southeast Australia’s most significant heatwaves" BOM make the following claim: (p.5):"Canberra also set a record with four consecutive days of 39°C."

BOM describe their special climate statements in the following way:
The Bureau's Special Climate Statements provide a detailed summary of significant weather and climate events. They are produced on an occasional basis for weather/climate events which are unusual in the context of the climatology of the affected region. Their purpose is to document major events. In doing so, they serve as a historical record, inform the public on the broader historical and climatological context for events, and give easy access to data and information which is in high demand from the media and the public.

THEY SERVE AS A HISTORICAL RECORD

We requested BOM make a correction to the climate statement about Canberra's recent "record" which is now shown to be false as the BOM's Canberra ACTON station shows the following run of highs in January 1939:
Jan 1939 records indicate 7 consecutive days over 39°C between the 8th and 14th.
Jan 8: 39.3
Jan 9: 39.2
Jan 10: 41.1
Jan 11: 42.8
Jan 12: 39.8
Jan 13: 41.9
Jan 14: 40.8

BOM responded thus:

Fri, Sep 5, 2014 at 1:42 PM
The record referenced in Special Climate Statement 48 is a station record for Canberra Airport (station numbers 70014 and 70351), as is stated in Table 3.

Regards,
Climate Analysis Section

Our response:

The main text does NOT indicate this and in its current form it is misleading. Please correct the main text.
BOM provide the following description of its Special Climate Statements...
Special Climate Statements
The Bureau's Special Climate Statements provide a detailed summary of significant weather and climate events. They are produced on an occasional basis for weather/climate events which are unusual in the context of the climatology of the affected region. Their purpose is to document major events. In doing so, they serve as a historical record, inform the public on the broader historical and climatological context for events, and give easy access to data and information which is in high demand from the media and the public.

As BOM consider the statements "serve as a historical record" it is of utmost importance that errors are corrected. BOM's statement on page 5...that "Canberra also set a record with four consecutive days of 39°C." is clearly in error and requires correction.

It is common practice in scientific reports for a corrigendum to be issued to correct mistakes made in published papers. Given the historical importance BOM place on its special climate statements it seems the issue of a corrigendum is appropriate in this case.

ACTON ONLINE

Earlier this year the Bureau of Meteorology made the following claim in respect to temperatures in Canberra:

 In its recent climate statement"Special Climate Statement 48 – one of southeast Australia’s most significant heatwaves" BOM make the following claim: (p.5):"Canberra also set a record with four consecutive days of 39°C."

We took the BOM up on this and also ABC's weather man Graham Creed (here and here and here and here)

BOM have finally digitised the daily max. temp records for its ACTON station. The records may be found HERE. 

They accord with the information we found revealing the following run of high temps:

Jan 6: 36.2

Jan 7: 38.7

Jan 8: 39.3

Jan 9: 39.2

Jan 10: 41.1

Jan 11: 42.8

Jan 12: 39.8

Jan 13: 41.9

Jan 14: 40.8

We sent the following new request to BOM's climate services branch:
In your  "Special Climate Statement 48 – one of southeast Australia’s most significant heatwaves" BOM make the following claim: (p.5):"Canberra also set a record with four consecutive days of 39°C."

With the release of the daily maximum figures for ACTON station this is now clearly false. Please correct the statement.

http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=122&p_display_type=dailyDataFile&p_startYear=1923&p_c=-982875403&p_stn_num=70099

Jan 1939 records indicate 7 consecutive days over 39°C between the 8th and 14th.

More heatwaves to come

ABC state the obvious, yes there will indeed be more heat waves to come. Odd that the study mentioned starts in the 1950s, and does not extend back to the 1930s and 1890s despite good quality meteorological records being available. One supposes ABC based their story on yesterdays high temps. They really need to check the definition of a heat wave before getting carried away. It generally lasts more than 12 hours.

This TEDX presentation by Ivo Vegtar should be required viewing for ABC's alarmist reporters.
Scary bananas: How environmental exaggeration harms emerging economies.