Problem with NSIDC data

I was preparing files of daily data for the Climate Data Service when I received word that NSIDC (the National Snow and Ice Data Center) has suspended their sea ice extent reporting, due to a failure of one of the sensors on the satellite they use. They report thus:

Debate Jeopardy!

With the U.S. presidential election this year, we’ve already been “treated” to numerous debates between candidates for nomination. We’ll eventually be privy to debates between nominees. However, many are not satisfied with the quality of the debates themselves. Perhaps changes in the rules could help things a bit.

Climate Data Service 2

I released the first files for the climate data service today, a day ahead. I’ve already gotten some feedback, so I’ll answer it here.

This is beyond awesome! I’ve kept an up to date version of a handful of these series but nothing like this. I’m teaching time series right now and can’t wait to unleash my students on these data. Quick question: in fields2.csv you note that all anomalies use the baseline period Jan.1900 – Dec.1999. I assume that is true for both files ‹ the global data as well as the US data. True?

Wish list:
For the temp data sets I use Cowtan and Way sometimes and Berkeley too. You might could add those ‹ but how many temp data sets do you really need?
And for ice I use the PIOMAS volume data in addition to the NCIDC data.
TSI in addition to sunspots.
An aerosol time series?

It would be nice to have a link to the source data in the fields files too I suppose.

What a resource.

Thanks a zillion

The baseline period Jan.1900 – Dec.1999 applies to US state-by-state data only. Other fields are either already anomaly (global temp series) or are baselines chosen logically. I’ll update the documentation to provide that information.

I plan to add both Cowtan & Way, and Berekely Earth, soon. I too wonder “how many global temp time series do you need?” but I sometimes want to use them all. It presently includes the big five (GISS, NOAA, HadCRU, RSS, UAH) but both C&W and Berkeley are prominent enough to include.

I suspect that PIOMAS sea ice volume data has some problems. But I might as well include it — it’s up to users what to do with it.

I thought about TSI (in addition to sunspots) but I don’t know where to get it that’s *up-to-date*. That’s why I use sunspot counts for regression analysis — it’s easy to keep current. I’ll consider adding TSI anyway. Patience, …

Aerosol time series is also tricky. For regression I’ve just infilled recent values with zero because data aren’t very current. I’ll add it to the “coming-but-not-so-soon-list.”

Thanks.

Climate Data Service

UPDATE: I’ve already received some feedback, so before long I’ll be offering more options — e.g., choose csv or tab-delimited files. As I say, the service will evolve based on subscriber feedback.

Also, to let folks know, the first release will include over 500 time series at monthly resolution and a smattering of daily data. More will be added as time progresses and requests accumulate, and won’t necessarily be limited to time series data.

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UPDATE 2:

To the many who have subscribed already, thank you.

You’ll receive your first installment tomorrow (Apr. 12). As with everything new, there are bound to be some rough edges. Improvement will depend on subscriber feedback, so don’t be shy.

Of particular note is the format (by which I mean, how data are split into files and in what order they appear). All decisions are up to the management (me), but believe me when I say that your opinions count. Together, we can make this better and better.

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We love climate data. We love to see it for ourselves, plot it in new ways, just go exploring for what we can find. Fortunately, a great deal of it is freely available on the internet.

Data Abuse

Global warming is really happening. It’s because of us. And it’s dangerous.

Florida Flood

A new paper (press release here) about sea level rise in southeast Florida concludes that locally, sea level rise has accelerated recently. What particularly caught my eye was the magnitude; from the abstract:

The average pre-2006 rate is 3 ± 2 mm/yr, similar to the global long-term rate of SLR, whereas after 2006 the average rate of SLR in Southeast Florida rose to 9 ± 4 mm/yr.

I must confess, I’m somewhat skeptical.

Tell Me

I have a question that only you, the readers, can answer.

Don’t like scientific discoveries? Stop science.

Wikipedia describes the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) as the federal government agency for scientific research in Australia. It has a proud tradition, not only of industrial research, but of science for the public good, and quality science for its own sake. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the management of CSIRO plans to put a stop to that:

Australia’s national science organisation planned to stop “doing science for science sake” and would no longer do “public good” work unless it was linked to jobs and economic growth, according to internal emails between CSIRO senior managers.

The emails contradict claims that the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation has remained committed to research that does not bring in revenue, and illustrate the scale of the restructure planned under new chief executive Larry Marshall.

Under Dr Marshall, CSIRO has shifted its focus to making money to pay for its work. The vision sees the iconic Australian science organisation as an “innovation catalyst”.

The emails confirm the century-old organisation was particularly focused on – in the words used in an exchange between managers in CSIRO’s oceans and atmosphere division – “eliminating all capability” of its climate change research programs.

Heat and Drought

Despite the rainfall that el Niño brings, California hasn’t yet recovered from its multi-year drought. Some have tried to deny any relationship between the drought and man-made climate change, but they usually miss the point entirely: that whether or not global warming increased the likelihood of the drought, it has indeed increased its severity.

New RSS and Balloons

A while ago I compared satellite temperature data to that from balloon-borne instruments. I used the RSS satellite data (the deniers’ favorite), but since then they have revised their data. Several readers have requested an updated comparison, using the new RSS release.