On Sept 28, 2006, Willis Eschenbach sent an FOI for CRU station data. A year later, after many letters, we still do not have the CRU data as used, but do have a list of stations used, a list which is slightly shorter (4138) than the 4349 stations said to have been used in Brohan et al 2006, their most recent publication. It looks as though they sanitized the list somewhat – in Brohan et al 2006, they said that they removed 55 duplicates. I guess that they’ve identified 156 more duplicates (4 times as many as reported in Brohan et al.) But perhaps there’s another reason. In my opinion, they should have delivered a list of 4349 stations – I’ve asked for this from Phil Jones.
Secondly, the list has not been delivered in working order: the data is supposed to be mostly (“98%”) derived form GHCN, but the identification numbers do not tie in precisely to GHCN numbers. The CRU ID numbers are 6 digits versus 11 digits at GHCN. Many of the CRU numbers tie in to GHCN numbers as follows: the GHCN number is in the form CCCWWWWWDDD where CCC is the country code, WWWWW is the WMO number and DDD is the station – for example, nearby sites (but different) sites can have the same WMO number. GHCN DDD identifiers seldom get out of single digits. CRU identifications of WWWWWD tie to GHCN numbers for 1782 sites. As seen below, many sites can be identified with GHCN sites, but not without a further concordance. CRU says that they have a look-up table, but failed to disclose it. I’ve requested it.
Thirdly, and somewhat unbelievably, the CRU identifications are not unique. In one case, there are 6 stations with an identical ID number. Perhaps there is some still undisclosed list and they’ve delivered it in non-working form for some reason of their own. IF there is no proper list, then I have no idea how they can define a look-up table that functions for non-unique ID numbers. For my own attempt at a concordance, I’ve added a duplicate number for each group of sites with overlapping ID numbers so that the new ID number is unique. (I wasted a considerable effort before I figured out that they had non-unique ID numbers – imagine.)
After doing this, in order to make a concordance, for each CRU site unmatched in a first pass, I then selected GHCN stations that were within 1 degree latitude and within 1 degree longitude and had the first 6 letters identical. If there was only one, I declared a match and assigned the GHCN number. This didn’t match as many sites as could be matched, but reduced the unmatched sites to about 354 sites.
I then made an ASCII tab-separated table in which I wrote down the CRU station plus lat, long and altitude and GHCN stations within a degree plus the same information and manually inspected the stations. I probably could have figured another semi-automatic method of reducing it further, but I also wanted to inspect the matches. In many cases, there was a fairly obvious match with the previous method failing due to multiple candidates or spelling variations. In this way, I added 175 matches, getting up to 3959 matches (a little under 96%), leaving 179 unmatched.
Here are ASCII files listing all CRU stations together with proposed GHCN identifications (ID, name, lat, long shown from GHCN) and the unmatched list. All Unmatched These are ASCII tab-separated and can be opened in Excel or read in R.
Unmatched Stations
The distribution of unmatched stations is really very strange – and I add here, that, for each country specified below, I’ve double checked manually against the GHCN inventory to confirm that there was at least one unmatched CRU station from that country. In total, I identified 29 countries where there were CRU stations that were not present at GHCN, including surprisingly stations from Canada, Australia and even the U.S. Here is a list of countries with at least one station that is unmatched in GHCN:
Argentina: CRU had quite a few stations not at GHCN.
Australia: nearly all match, but two CRU stations didn’t match GHCN – Maryborough and Brisbane Airport. Why these?
Austria – quite a few stations not at GHCN
Bolivia – a couple didn’t match
Brazil – a couple didn’t match
Canada – quite a few stations not at GHCN. I noticed a duplicate GHCN for Parry Sound, which is near Toronto and which occurs in two alter egos in GHCN.
Chile – a couple didn’t match. A couple were called “UNKNOWN” in the CRU list. Perhaps they are connected to the UCAR “Bogus Stations”.
China – quite a few stations not at GHCN
Denmark – a couple didn’t match
Dominica – a couple didn’t match
Germany – one didn’t match
Finland – one (Kuopio) didn’t match
Greenland – possibly a couple didn’t match
Guinea – one didn’t match
Iran – one didn’t match
Ireland – one may not match (Phoenix Park)
Israel – a few don’t match
Italy – a couple don’t match
Kyrgyz republic – one doesn’t match
Netherlands – a couple don’t match
Norway – a few don’t match
Oceania — a few don’t match
Peru – one doesn’t match
Sweden – a few don’t match
Syria – several don’t match
Taiwan – quite a few don’t match
UK – a couple don’t match (Kirkwall, Wick)
USA – about 25 don’t match e.g. Moroni, Lahontan
Russia – a couple may not match
IT is quite weird to see these oddball stations crop at CRU. I’m sure we’ll quickly track down where Moroni and Lahontan and their ilk come from, but it doesn’t seem to be GHCN.
Prior Excuses
With these results in mind, let’s review the history of CRU excuses as to why they should not be required to disclose information under the FOI Act – and it’s taken slightly over a year and many letters and appeals to even get this station list. Their original refusal CRU stated that the data was already located at GHCN as follows:
Datasets named ds564.0 and ds570.0 can be found at The Climate & Global Dynamics Division (CGD) page of the Earth and Sun Systems Laboratory (ESSL) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) site at: http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/tn404/ Between them, these two datasets have the data which the UEA Climate Research Unit (CRU) uses to derive the HadCRUT3 analysis. The latter, NCAR site holds the raw station data (including temperature, but other variables as well). The GHCN would give their set of station data (with adjustments for all the numerous problems). They both have a lot more data than the CRU have (in simple station number counts), but the extra are almost entirely within the USA. We have sent all our data to GHCN, so they do, in fact, possess all our data.
In accordance with S. 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 this letter acts as a Refusal Notice, and the reasons for exemption are as stated below
In response to a further request trying to pin them down, they stated that “more than 98%” of CRU data and the remaining 2% was collected under confidentiality agreements.
Our estimate is that more than 98% of the CRU data are on these sites. The remaining 2% of data that is not in the websites consists of data CRU has collected from National Met Services (NMSs) in many countries of the world. In gaining access to these NMS data, we have signed agreements with many NMSs not to pass on the raw station data, but the NMSs concerned are happy for us to use the data in our gridding, and these station data are included in our gridded products, which are available from the CRU web site. These NMS-supplied data may only form a very small percentage of the database, but we have to respect their wishes and therefore this information would be exempt from disclosure under FOIA pursuant to s.41. The World Meteorological Organization has a list of all NMSs.
Obviously, none of this justified not providing a list of stations, but that has taken another 6 months. In connection with the supposed confidentiality agreements, as reported previously, Doug Keenan asked for the countries with which there were confidentiality agreements that restricted access and was told:
Dear Doug,
I have done some searching in files – all from the period 1990-1998. This is the time when we were in contact with a number of NMSs. We have also got datasets from fellow scientists and other institutes around the world. All supplied data (eventually and sometimes at cost), but we were asked not to pass on the raw data to third parties, but we could use the data to develop products (our datasets) and use the data in scientific papers. It is likely that some of the NMSs and Institutes have changed their policies now – and that the people we were corresponding with (all by regular mail or fax) are no longer there or are in different sections. The lists below don’t refer to all the stations within these countries, nor to all periods, but to some of the data for some of the time.
The NMSs
Germany, Bahrain, Oman, Algeria, Japan, Slovakia and SyriaScientists/Institutes (data for these countries)
Mali, India, Pakistan, Poland, Indonesia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (was Zaire), Sudan and some Caribbean Islands.These are the only ones I can find evidence for. I’m sure there were a few others during the 1980s, but we have moved buildings twice since 1980.
Not sure how you will use this data.
Phil Jones
Above I summarized the countries for which there are stations that are not matched at GHCN. Remarkably, these include virtually none of the countries where Jones said that they had received data subject to confidentiality agreements – so that the confidentiality agreement excuse cannot apply for any of these countries. And for each of the countries for which Jones said that there was a confidentiality agreement (Bahrain, Oman, Algeria, Japan, Slovakia, Mali, India, Pakistan, Poland, Indonesia, Zaire and Sudan), I was able to cross-identify all CRU stations with GHCN identifications so that the confidentiality excuse didn’t affect anything.
At this point, the only unmatched stations which would appear to be covered by a reported “confidentiality agreement” are about 6 stations in Syria (about half at GHCN) and one German station (Wahnsdorff). Otherwise there is no valid excuse for not disclosing this station data. Of course it is possible that Jones has confidentiality agreements with Canada and the Australia, but was embarrassed to report them and thus omitted them in the above list. We’ll see.
It is disappointing that the pretexts for not providing the data previously have turned out to be untrue. However, it should be possible to now develop a reasonable concordance for the CRU stations to GHCN where applicable and to identify provenances for the oddball stations to make a concordance up to a very small number of stations – at which analysis can begin.
Climate Audit 
31 Comments
I know that the Brisbane airport was relocated from the suburb of Eagle Farm to Pinkenba (a few kilometres east, towards the sea) during the 1980’s. Could that be a source of its’ falling through the net?
Steve,
Can help with 2 Australian puzzle stations on your list:
Brisbane airport news report:
“July 19, 2007 12:00am
BRISBANE Airport’s weather station recorded its lowest ever reading today with a low of minus 0.1 – one degree colder than the previous record.
The reading taken at 6.39am reflected lower than normal temperatures across the region.
The official Brisbane minimum was 3.8 degrees at 6.53am, but at the airport the mercury dropped to -0.1.
At Archerfield, in Brisbane’s west, the temperature hit 1.7 degrees but temperatures plunged dramatically further west.
At Amberley, the mercury hit minus 4.8 at 6.42am and at Applethorpe on the Granite Belt it was an icy minus 7.7.
The Brisbane Airport reading was taken at the new weather station there which has been in operation since 2000.
But the minus .1 minimum didn’t last long – it held for just three minutes.
The previous low of 0.9 degrees was taken at the old airport weather station which was in operation from 1929 until 2000.”
(For context, Archerfield is an abandoned WWII aerodrome near Amberley, which is a large military aerodrome built before WWII. Amberley 27.37 S, 152.41 E. At Brisbane airport, the old and new met stations are probably less than 7 km apart and at same altitudes, flat coastal swamp. Brisbane airport is about 10-15 km east – seaward- of Brisbane City. So temps to the East and West of Brisbane were 3-8 degrees lower than the city itself. Does UHI exist?)
MARYBOROUGH
There are two towns with these approx lats and longs –
25.32 S, 152.42 E. Queensland
37.03 S, 134.45 E. Victoria.
Very roughly, each has a population around 10,000.
Geoff.
I understand the frustration with the Station IDs!! I’m trying to put together a table for USHCN stations that ties together the many versions of WMO IDs and NCDC IDs. The DDD really bugs me because some metadata files only use one D, some use none.
#3. I’ve already done a collation of USHCN numbers to GHCN numbers. You don’t need to do it. See climateaudit.org/data/ushcn/details.dat
72670 CODY…This appears to me to be the Cody, WY airport. Virgil
I maually looked at the first four Norway stations and many ID numbers seem to start with 6 digit USAF DATSAV3 station IDs. Here is the GSOD DATSAV3 list. It is being used for daily data from stations. ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/gsod/ish-history.xls
It looks to be a rats nest for correlating though.
Here are the first four stations and how they compare. Already one ID seems to be mismatched.
NORWAY Tromsoe 01026000 69.7 18.9 100 NA NA NA NA NA
010260 99999 TROMSO NO NO +69650 +018933 +01150
matches number name(sp?) location but not elevation
—————–
NORWAY Glomfjord 01153000 66.8 14 39
011130 99999 GLOMFJORD NO NO +66800 +013983 +00390
matches name location but not number
—————–
NORWAY Kjoeremsgrendi 01235000 62.1 9.1 626 NA NA NA NA NA
012350 99999 DOMBAS-KIRKENAER NO NO +62083 +009133 +06450
matches number but not name elevation
012360 99999 KJOREMSGRENDE NO NO +62100 +009050 +06260
matches name(sp?) location but not number
—————–
NORWAY Trondheim/Vaernes 01271000 63.5 12.9 12 NA NA NA NA NA
012710 99999 TRONDHEIM/VERNES NO NO ENVA +63467 +010933 +00170
matches number name(sp?) but not location
Geoff Sherrington, Archerfield may have been a WWII airport now abandoned by the military but it is currently an active general aviation airport.
Geoff, the puzzle is not the sites themselves, but their appearance in the CRU roster and seeming exclusion from the GHCN roster.
#4,
Thanks. I have already used Anthony’s surfacestations table to tie them together.
I started putting together a database of some of the metadata available online. The goal is a simple means of querying stations as a front end to JohnV’s OpenTemp. The problem is that each file seems to use a different ID (or separate the ID into different columns). For example: http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/ushcn_monthly/station_landuse and http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/ushcn_monthly/metrof_orig and http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/ushcn_monthly/station_history. Not hard to figure out but annoying. Apparently you only need 4 digits to specify a unique NCDC station.
But we digress..
#6. Good spotting, I’ll bet that;s where some of these stations come from. It’s hard to conceive of why rationale as to which stations are the chosen ones.
#10. I’ve already collated all this station data and had it online for some time.
11,
I looked through your data folder and found details.dat, cru.info.dat, PO.dat. I already have most of this information in tables (in addition to some more). Is there something in your data folder that I’ve missed?
It’s interesting that all the non unique IDs are for sations located in the US. I’m guessing that there was some kind of truncation when the values were taken from some other source. For reference, here’s the list I’ve compiled:
730180
BRAWLEY-2SW———USA———
VIRGINIA-CITY——-USA———
730730
TAHOE-CITY———-USA———
PAVILLION———–USA———
745601
ALAMEDA/NAS———USA———
QUINCY/FAA-AIRPORT–USA———
750030
ST-BERNARD———-USA———
OZARK—————USA———
DAHLONEGA-2NW——-USA———
750050
PASO-ROBLES———USA———
GUNNISON-3SW——–USA———
750060
SACRAMENTO-CITY—–USA———
DE-FUNIAK-SPRINGS—USA———
750080
SUSANVILLE-AP——-USA———
LAMAR—————USA———
TIFTON-EXP-STN——USA———
751090
INDIANOLA———–USA———
PLAIN-DEALING——-USA———
751101
RUSSELL/MUNICIPAL-ARUSA———
MONROE/MUNICIPAL-ARPUSA———
751110
LE-MARS————-USA———
SAINT-JOSEPH-3N—–USA———
751120
LOGAN—————USA———
MEDICINE-LODGE——USA———
751130
MINNEAPOLIS———USA———
WINNSBORO-5SSE——USA———
752010
CLOQUET————-USA———
CIMARRON-4SW——–USA———
752020
BOZEMAN-MONTANA-ST-UUSA———
BOULDER-CITY——–USA———
752030
IRONWOOD————USA———
COLUMBIA————USA———
752040
ITASCA-U-OF-MN——USA———
CORINTH-CITY——–USA———
CARUTHERSVILLE——USA———
BRIDGEPORT———-USA———
KEENE—————USA———
TUCUMCARI-4NE——-USA———
752050
SOUTH-HAVEN———USA———
MORRIS-WC-EXPERIMENTUSA———
FOREST-3S———–USA———
FORKS-4NNE———-USA———
752060
TRAVERSE-CITY/CHERRYUSA———
FORT-ASSINNIBOINE—USA———
752070
FARMINGTON———-USA———
HAMILTON————USA———
INDIAN-MILLS-2W—–USA———
752090
LAUREL————–USA———
HUNTLEY-EXPERIMENT-SUSA———
LONG-BRANCH-OAKHURSTUSA———
752100
JEFFERSON-CITY-WATERUSA———
JORDAN————–USA———
752130
PORT-GIBSON-1NW—–USA———
MOCCASIN-EXPERIMENT-USA———
752140
LOCKWOOD————USA———
POPLAR————–USA———
752210
ROLLA-UNIV-OF-MO—-USA———
WEST-YELLOWSTONE—-USA———
753010
CADIZ—————USA———
KINGSTON————USA———
753030
LUMBERTON-3SE——-USA———
CROSBY————–USA———
CRATER-LAKE-NPS-HQ–USA———
753040
HETTINGER———–USA———
HILLSBORO———–USA———
CLEMSON-UNIVERSITY–USA———
753050
JAMESTOWN-STATE-HOSPUSA———
HIRAM—————USA———
DURANT-USDA———USA———
FOREST-GROVE——–USA———
753060
DANNEMORA———–USA———
SALISBURY———–USA———
ENID—————-USA———
753070
FREDONIA————USA———
MANDAN-EXPERIMENT-STUSA———
NEWPORT————-USA———
GEORGETOWN-2E——-USA———
753080
STATESVILLE-2NNE—-USA———
HOLDENVILLE———USA———
NORTH-BEND-FAA-AP—USA———
KINGSTREE-1SE——-USA———
753090
WAYNESVILLE-1E——USA———
LAURENS————-USA———
DUPREE————–USA———
753100
LOCKPORT-2NE——–USA———
JEFFERSON———–USA———
LITTLE-MOUNTAIN—–USA———
753110
WAHPETON-3N———USA———
THREE-LYNX———-USA———
MONTROSE————USA———
753120
NORWICH————-USA———
UNION-EXP-STN——-USA———
753140
OKEMAH————–USA———
PALMERTON———–USA———
GANN-VALLEY-4NW—–USA———
753150
RIDGWAY————-USA———
YEMASSEE————USA———
753170
WANAKENA-RANGER-SCHOUSA———
STROUDSBURG———USA———
754020
HANCOCK-EXPERIMENT-FUSA———
LUSK-2SW————USA———
754030
CORINNE————-USA———
MARSHFIELD-EXPERIMENUSA———
MORAN-5WNW———-USA———
754050
ESCALANTE———–USA———
FARMVILLE-2N——–USA———
MINOCQUA-DAM——–USA———
SHERIDAN-FIELD-STATIUSA———
754070
MOAB—————-USA———
LONGVIEW————USA———
TORRINGTON-EXP-FARM-USA———
754090
RICHFIELD-RADIO-KSVCUSA———
PENNINGTON-GAP——USA———
NORTHPORT———–USA———
VIROQUA-2NW———USA———
WORLAND————-USA———
754100
BRENHAM————-USA———
SAINT-GEORGE——–USA———
754130
ROGERSVILLE-1NE—–USA———
CLARKSVILLE-2NE—–USA———
ZION-NATIONAL-PARK–USA———
Total: 121
For The Netherlands, De Kooy(Den Helder Airport), Eelde(Groningen Airport) and Vlissingen are available as raw unhomogensied timer series daily series from KNMI
http://www.knmi.nl/klimatologie/daggegevens/download.cgi?language=eng
monthly averages are here
http://www.knmi.nl/klimatologie/maandgegevens/index.html
I am a bit confused using the GHCN list from cdiac http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/ndp041/temp.statinv
I see EELDE DE KOOY and VLISSINGEN on the list
6090623500 DE KOOY 52.92 4.78 0 1981 1990 1.7 0
6090628000 EELDE 53.13 6.58 4 1981 1990 1.7 0
6090631000 VLISSINGEN 51.45 3.60 8 1981 1990 1.7 0
see also
http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/epubs/ndp/ndp041/ndp041.html
compare with steves ‘unmatched’ list
country name id lat long alt
NETHERLANDS DE KOOY 6235000 52.9 4.8 0
NETHERLANDS EELDE 6280000 53.1 6.6 4
NETHERLANDS VLISSINGEN 6310000 51.5 3.6 8
For Italy, the two unmatched stations are:
ITALY MILANO/BRERA 16081100 45.5 9.2 122 NA NA NA NA NA
ITALY ROMA/FIUMICINO 16242000 41.8 12.2 2 NA NA NA NA NA
Let’s start with the “caput mundi”.
Steve Mc, if you go trough the GHCN-v2.mean.Z file, you will find the following stations for Rome:
16235 with one data set;
16239 with 3 data sets;
16242 with 1 data set.
GHCN station file “ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/ghcn/v2/v2.temperature.inv” has:
62316235000 ROMA/URBE 41.95 12.50 24 61U 2535HIxxCO30A 2WARM FIELD WOODSC
62316239000 ROMA/CIAMPINO 41.78 12.58 105 120U 2535HIxxCO22A 5WARM FIELD WOODSC
62316239001 ROME ITALY 41.80 12.60 107 140U 2535HIxxCO22A 5WARM FIELD WOODSC
So GHCN has data from station 16242 which is not in their station list.
The third station they list 62316239001 ROME has the same WMO code of the previous one and is very very close to it. I think no station 62316239001 really exists near the other one 16239000, maybe a relocation inside the airport of Ciampino, but I don’t think so.
Moreover the second data set for station 16239 starts in 1811 and it is impossible that the Rome/Ciampino airport was there. I’m sure that data come from the old Meteorological Observatory in the centre of the city, which started to record met obs in the 18th century and is closer to the ROMA/URBE airport
The missing station in the GHCN list, 16242 ROMA/FIUMICINO, is the main Rome (and Italian) airport, far from the city and very close to the sea (altitude: 2 m asl)
Regarding Milan,
v2 has three data sets for station 16080 MILANO/LINATE, one of which starts in 1763.
Milano/Linate is the city airport and, of course, wasn’t there in 1763. Old data come from the city centre old astronomical observatory of BRERA.
I think CRU kept the two series as they are, i.e. different, while GHCH put them in the same station file.
AS Hans Erren has found, some of the unmatched locations are in GHCN V1.
Following are those three, plus several others, some of which also seem to
be in GHCN V2, but with some differences. Pardon the format, but I needed
to rearrange it to ease the search. If the ID has ten digits, it’s from
GHCN V1, eleven, then GHCN V2, otherwise it is from the unmatched file.
___7110800 Abbotsford A CANADA 49 -122.4 58 NA NA NA NA NA
4027110800 ABBOTSFORD,B.C. 49.03 -122.37 58 1944 1990 2.5 0
___8475200 AREQUIPA PERU -16.4 -71.6 2451 NA NA NA NA NA
3088475200 AREQUIPA -16.32 -71.55 2524 1900 1990 26.1 1
4047238613 BEATTY 36.90 -116.80 1006 1913 1970 11.1 0
___7238710 BEATTY USA 36.9 -116.8 1006 NA NA NA NA NA
4047227416 BENSON 32.00 -110.30 1097 1903 1974 0.7 0
___7227440 BENSON USA 32 -110.3 1097 NA NA NA NA NA
___1110100 Bregenz AUSTRIA 47.5 9.7 424 NA NA NA NA NA
6191110100 BREGENZ 47.50 9.75 424 1981 1990 2.5 0
___9457600 BRISBANE APT AUSTRAL -27.5 153 41 NA NA NA NA NA
5139457800 BRISBANE AIRPORT M.O -27.42 153.08 3 1887 1990 2.2 0
50194578000 BRISBANE/EAGLE FARM AUSTRA -27.40 153.10 4 37U 943FLxxCO 5A 1COASTAL EDGES C
2012004605 BUKHTA TIBRAYHA 80.30 52.60 -999 1929 1960 12.8 0
___2182400 BUKHTA TIBRAYHA USSR 80.3 52.6 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
4047278115 BUMPING LAKE 46.90 -121.30 1048 1914 1966 1.9 0
___7279240 BUMPING LAKE USA 46.9 -121.3 1048 NA NA NA NA NA
___8340500 CACERES BRAZIL -16.1 -57.7 118 NA NA NA NA NA
3068340500 CACERES -16.05 -57.68 -999 1970 1990 46.4 0
___7189300 Comox A CANADA 49.7 -124.9 24 NA NA NA NA NA
4027189300 COMOX,B.C. 49.72 -124.90 24 1944 1990 1.8 0
___0623500 DE KOOY NETHERL 52.9 4.8 0 NA NA NA NA NA
6090623500 DE KOOY 52.92 4.78 0 1981 1990 1.7 0
___7173500 Earlton A CANADA 47.7 -79.9 243 NA NA NA NA NA
4027173500 EARLTON,ONT. 47.70 -79.85 243 1938 1990 2.8 0
___0628000 EELDE NETHERL 53.1 6.6 4 NA NA NA NA NA
6090628000 EELDE 53.13 6.58 4 1981 1990 1.7 0
___0261600 Falsterbo SWEDEN 55.4 12.8 5 NA NA NA NA NA
6020261600 FALSTERBO 55.38 12.82 -999 1981 1990 1.7 0
___1115500 Feuerkogel AUSTRIA 47.8 13.7 1618 NA NA NA NA NA
6191115500 FEUERKOGEL 47.82 13.73 1618 1981 1990 5.0 0
___7227450 GLOBE USA 33.4 -110.8 1082 NA NA NA NA NA
4047227817 GLOBE 33.40 -110.80 1082 1907 1975 0.8 0
___0258400 Gotska Sandoen SWEDEN 58.4 19.2 12 NA NA NA NA NA
6020258400 GOTSKA SANDON 58.40 19.20 12 1981 1990 1.7 0
___1129000 Graz University AUSTRIA 47.1 15.5 366 NA NA NA NA NA
60311240000 GRAZ-THALERHO 47.00 15.43 347 357U 314MVxxno-9A 3WARM CROPS C
6191124000 GRAZ-THALERHOF- FLUGH 47.00 15.43 340 1951 1990 0.4 0
___7139700 Greenwood A CANADA 45 -64.9 28 NA NA NA NA NA
4027139700 GREENWOOD,N.S. 44.98 -64.92 28 1942 1990 2.0 0
___0619300 Hammerodde Fyr DENMARK 55.3 14.8 11 NA NA NA NA NA
6080619300 HAMMERODDE 55.30 14.78 11 1981 1990 4.2 0
4047226506 HOBBS 32.70 -103.10 1102 1913 1980 0.0 0
___7226890 HOBBS USA 32.7 -103.1 1102 NA NA NA NA NA
___0268000 Hoburg SWEDEN 56.9 18.1 38 NA NA NA NA NA
6020268000 HOBURG 56.92 18.15 38 1981 1990 2.5 0
___0228800 Holmoegadd SWEDEN 63.6 20.8 6 NA NA NA NA NA
6020228800 HOLMOGADD 63.60 20.77 6 1981 1990 5.0 0
___7111400 HOPE CANADA 49.4 -121.4 152 NA NA NA NA NA
4027111400 HOPE,B.C. 49.37 -121.48 39 1981 1990 1.7 0
___3369900 JUZNO BUGSKAJA USSR 48.1 30.9 103 NA NA NA NA NA
65033699001 JUZNO-BUGSKAJA,UKRAINE FORMER 48.05 30.85 103 120U 72FLxxno-9x-9WARM CROPS C
___0267200 Kalmar SWEDEN 56.7 16.3 15 NA NA NA NA NA
6020267200 KALMAR 56.73 16.30 15 1981 1990 2.5 0
4047279329 KENT 47.40 -122.20 12 1914 1980 0.7 0
___7279350 KENT USA 47.4 -122.2 12 NA NA NA NA NA
___0301700 KIRKWALL UK 59 -2.9 26 NA NA NA NA NA
6040301700 KIRKWALL AIRPORT 58.95 -2.90 21 1981 1990 2.5 0
___0291700 Kuopio FINLAND 62.9 27.7 119 NA NA NA NA NA
6030291700 KUOPIO 63.02 27.80 98 1981 1990 4.2 0
___7190500 Kuujjuarapik A CANADA 55.3 -77.8 21 NA NA NA NA NA
4027190500 KUUJJUARAPIK, QUE. 55.28 -77.77 21 1925 1980 12.8 0
___0212000 Kvikkjokk SWEDEN 67 17.7 337 NA NA NA NA NA
6020212000 KVIKKJOKK 66.95 17.75 337 1981 1990 3.3 0
4047248818 LAHONTAN 39.50 -119.10 1267 1911 1980 4.3 0
___7248860 LAHONTAN USA 39.5 -119.1 1267 NA NA NA NA NA
4047279333 LAKE KACHESS 47.30 -121.20 692 1909 1976 0.0 0
___7420720 LAKE KACHESS USA 47.3 -121.2 692 NA NA NA NA NA
4047279334 LAKE KEECHELUS 47.30 -121.30 754 1914 1977 2.2 0
___7420730 LAKE KEECHELUS USA 47.3 -121.3 754 NA NA NA NA NA
___0258200 Landsort SWEDEN 58.7 17.9 13 NA NA NA NA NA
6020258200 LANDSORT 58.75 17.87 13 1981 1990 1.7 0
4047278915 LAURIER 49.00 -118.23 501 1910 1987 0.0 0
___7278960 LAURIER USA 49 -118.2 501 NA NA NA NA NA
___8750600 MALARGUE A ARGENTI -35.5 -69.6 1426 NA NA NA NA NA
3138750600 MALARGUE AERO -35.50 -69.58 1426 1981 1990 1.7 0
___8746700 MARCOS JUAREZ A ARGENTI -32.7 -62.2 110 NA NA NA NA NA
3138746700 MARCOS JUAREZ AERO -32.70 -62.15 110 1981 1990 2.5 0
___1608110 MILANO/BRERA ITALY 45.5 9.2 122 NA NA NA NA NA
6271608000 MILANO/LINATE 45.43 9.28 107 1763 1990 3.7 0
62316080000 MILANO/LINATE 45.43 9.28 103 133U 1725FLxxno-9A 1WARM IRRIGATED C
___8739300 MONTE CASEROS A ARGENTI -30.3 -57.7 53 NA NA NA NA NA
3138739300 MONTE CASEROS AERO -30.25 -57.65 53 1981 1990 8.3 0
___7247090 MORONI USA 39.5 -111.6 1684 NA NA NA NA NA
4047257239 MORONI 39.50 -111.60 1684 1914 1980 0.6 0
___7257090 MYTON USA 40.2 -110.1 1533 NA NA NA NA NA
4047257245 MYTON 40.20 -110.10 1533 1918 1980 0.5 0
___7237040 NATURAL BRIDGE USA 34.3 -111.5 1404 NA NA NA NA NA
4047237423 NATURAL BRIDGE 34.30 -111.50 1404 1914 1970 0.1 0
___7223100 NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIA USA 30 -90.3 9 NA NA NA NA NA
4047223100 NEW ORLEANS/MOISANT INT., 29.98 -90.25 1 1874 1990 0.1 0
___0259200 Oelands Norra Udde SWEDEN 57.4 17.1 4 NA NA NA NA NA
6020259200 OLANDS NORRA UDDE 57.37 17.10 4 1981 1990 2.5 0
___0144800 Oksoey Fyr NORWAY 58.1 8.1 9 NA NA NA NA NA
6010144800 OKSOY FYR 58.07 8.05 9 1981 1990 1.7 0
___8701600 ORAN A ARGENTI -23.2 -64.3 357 NA NA NA NA NA
3138701600 ORAN AERO -23.15 -64.32 357 1981 1990 1.7 0
4047226507 PEARL 32.70 -103.40 1158 1916 1980 3.5 0
___7226940 PEARL USA 32.7 -103.4 1158 NA NA NA NA NA
20559345002 PENG HU TAIWAN 23.52 119.57 21 0S 20FLxxCO 1A 1WATER A
___4673500 PENGHU TAIWAN 23.6 119.6 10 NA NA NA NA NA
___7188900 PENTICTON A CANADA 49.5 -119.6 1129 NA NA NA NA NA
4027188900 PENTICTON,B.C. 49.47 -119.60 344 1941 1990 0.8 0
___7186630 Pilger CANADA 52.4 -105.2 552 NA NA NA NA NA
4027186902 PILGER 52.40 -105.20 552 1911 1980 8.9 0
___7187800 RED DEAR A CANADA 52.2 -113.9 2968 NA NA NA NA NA
4027187800 RED DEER,ALTA. 52.18 -113.90 905 1938 1990 0.6 0
___1624200 ROMA/FIUMICINO ITALY 41.8 12.2 2 NA NA NA NA NA
6271624200 ROMA/FIUMICINO 41.80 12.23 2 1811 1990 6.2 0
4997801605 SHIP STATION E 34.00 -52.00 -999 1945 1973 14.1 0
___9900500 SHIP STATION E OCEANIA 34 -52 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
___9900900 SHIP STATION I OCEANIA 60 -20 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
6999908002 SHIP STATION I 60.00 -20.00 -999 1948 1975 5.4 0
___9901000 SHIP STATION J OCEANIA 53.8 -18.7 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
6999908003 SHIP STATION J 53.80 -18.70 -999 1948 1975 3.6 0
___7170200 SUMMERSIDE A CANADA 46.4 -63.8 78 NA NA NA NA NA
4027170200 SUMMERSIDE,P.E.I. 46.43 -63.83 24 1942 1990 2.2 0
___0232400 Sveg SWEDEN 62 14.4 360 NA NA NA NA NA
6020232400 SVEG 62.03 14.37 360 1981 1990 3.3 0
___0249600 Svenska Hoegarna SWEDEN 59.4 19.5 12 NA NA NA NA NA
6020249600 SVENSKA HOGARNA 59.45 19.50 12 1981 1990 4.2 0
___4669200 TAIPEI TAIWAN 25 121.5 5 NA NA NA NA NA
2305896501 TAIPEI/CHIANG KAI SHEK 25.08 121.23 23 1981 1990 8.3 0
___6541800 TAMALE GHANA 9.4 0.8 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
11965418001 TAMALE 9.40 -0.90 188 168U 84FLxxno-9A 1TROP. SAVANNA A
1406541800 TAMALE 9.50 -0.85 168 1945 1975 3.5 0
___7236060 TAOS USA 36.4 -105.6 2117 NA NA NA NA NA
4047236528 TAOS 36.40 -105.60 2117 1901 1980 1.1 0
6070420200 THULE A.B. 76.52 -68.50 77 1946 1990 46.1 0
___0420200 THULE US AFB GREENLA 76.5 -68.8 11 NA NA NA NA NA
43104202001 THULE/OP SITE 76.52 -68.83 77 186R -9HIxxCO 3A-9POLAR DESERT A
___7162100 TRENTON A CANADA 44.1 -77.5 283 NA NA NA NA NA
4027162100 TRENTON,ONT. 44.12 -77.53 86 1935 1990 5.5 0
6010102500 TROMSO/LANGNES 69.68 18.92 -999 1856 1990 29.4 0
___0102600 Tromsoe NORWAY 69.7 18.9 100 NA NA NA NA NA
___0127100 Trondheim/Vaernes NORWAY 63.5 12.9 12 NA NA NA NA NA
6010127100 TRONDHEIM/VAERNES 63.47 10.93 -999 1981 1990 1.7 0
___0264000 Vaexjoe SWEDEN 56.9 14.8 166 NA NA NA NA NA
6020264000 VAXJO 56.87 14.80 165 1981 1990 5.0 0
___7179900 Victoria Int A CANADA 48.7 -123.4 20 NA NA NA NA NA
4027179900 VICTORIA INT.AIRPORTB.C. 48.65 -123.43 19 1940 1990 1.5 0
___1121200 Villacher Alpe/Obir AUSTRIA 46.6 13.7 2140 NA NA NA NA NA
6191121200 VILLACHERALPE 46.60 13.67 2140 1981 1990 5.8 0
___0631000 VLISSINGEN NETHERL 51.5 3.6 8 NA NA NA NA NA
6090631000 VLISSINGEN 51.45 3.60 8 1981 1990 1.7 0
___0948600 WAHNSDORF E.GERMA 51.1 13.7 246 NA NA NA NA NA
6180948802 WAHNSDORF 51.10 13.70 246 1812 1980 57.9 0
4047278519 WALLACE WOODLAND 47.50 -115.90 894 1917 1980 0.5 0
___7278580 WALLACE WOODLAND USA 47.5 -115.9 894 NA NA NA NA NA
4047229011 WARNER SPRINGS 33.30 -116.60 969 1909 1977 1.2 0
___7229550 WARNER SPRINGS USA 33.3 -116.6 969 NA NA NA NA NA
___0307500 WICK UK 58.5 -3.1 36 NA NA NA NA NA
6040307500 WICK 58.45 -3.08 39 1981 1990 2.5 0
That’s good spotting to look at the old GHCN. As you observe, most of these are not in GHCN v2 e.g. Hobbs, Arequipa, …
I picked up the Tamale match afterwards.
Penghu is definitely a match as is Milano/Linate as is Juzno, I’ll edit accordingly.
I noticed Thule and left it as uncertain because of the change in elevation – it looks like there might have been a relocation, but maybe not. I guess that it’s a probable match tho.
Is Brisbane Eagle Farm the Brisbane Apt?
OK, now that we’ve identified a number of these stations in GHCN v1; that raises the question of ongoing provenance? In one sense you’d have to say that the unavailability of the stations in GHCN v2 ends the provenance. HOwever as Bob Koss observed, the ID numbers match GSOD numbers. So I’ll bet that GSOD provenance is involved somehow.
BradH in #1 indiacted that Brisbane Airport was once at Eagle Farm.
There is a text version of the file that Bob Koss linked if you use .txt instead
of .xls for those who don’t do excel.
I would guess that the location changed within Thule over the years, as I would
guess about some other places.
After some non weather related stuff, I will go back to see if I missed some
in the GHCN V1 list.
A few more for your consideration:
Slightly different names:
2305955401 KAO HSIUNG 22.57 120.35 8 1981 1990 8.3 0
___4674400 KAOHSIUNG TAIWAN 22.6 120.3 2 NA NA NA NA NA
___0210400 Taernaby/Hemavan SWEDEN 65.8 15.1 475 NA NA NA NA NA
6020210400 HEMAVAN 65.82 15.10 475 1981 1990 5.8 0
Very different names:
___1102000 Stift Zwettl AUSTRIA 48.6 15.2 505 NA NA NA NA NA
60311020001 HOHENFURTH AUSTRIA 48.60 15.30 -999 572R -9HIxxno-9x-9WARM FOR./FIELD A
___3835300 BISHKEK KYRGYZ 42.9 74.5 756 NA NA NA NA NA
2013835300 FRUNZE 42.83 74.58 -999 1896 1990 25.5 0
21338353001 FRUNZE 42.83 74.58 828 1726U 533MVxxno-9A 1COOL GRASS/SHRUBC
The second one has a very different name, but seems the same place:
___3369900 JUZNO BUGSKAJA USSR 48.1 30.9 103 NA NA NA NA NA
6323369900 PERVOMAIJSK 48.05 30.85 -999 1951 1984 36.5 0
65033699001 JUZNO-BUGSKAJA,UKRAINE FORMER 48.05 30.85 103 120U 72FLxxno-9x-9WARM CROPS C
Similar names, but found one more:
4047278912 LAURIER 49.00 -118.20 501 1910 1980 0.0 0
4047278915 LAURIER 49.00 -118.23 501 1910 1987 0.0 0
___7278960 LAURIER USA 49 -118.2 501 NA NA NA NA NA
Re deletions from data sets
The more I read, the more concerned I am at the US-centric methodology dominating treatments given to the rest of the world.
Indeed, it seems apparent that selective deletion of data, accidental or intentional, from sets is capable of inducing trends that do not exist in Nature.
Automated methods of removing stations and parts of data because they are too short or too old or have too much missing data, built into code designed for the USA, might not work at all well in ROW places like Australia and New Zealand where quite good data sets go back to the early 1900s in many cases.
John V was arguining in another thread for the deletion of a lot of early USA decades because of sparse data. This does not mean that ROW should be treated the same way.
The unfortunate consequence is that ROW climate analysts ate at least tempted to (if not actually doing) reject large quantities of valuable data for spurious reasons. There is a risK that the Bureau of Meteorology will produce a shortened, “sanitised” set that people regard as step one when in fact it is quite adjusted.
The Brisbane airport case of above could be an example. The airport was rebuilt about 1980 at Pinkenba, after having been at Eagle Farm since the 1920s. The weather station did not appear to have been moved until 2000 or so, as the 2 airports were very close together. So, if an automatic logic check can’t reconcile a site change of location name (lats/longs too) with a site change of instruments because they happened at different times, is this a reason to drop one out?
Not also that at airports and lighthouses there is a trend to house the instruments some distance above the ground, in towers, which can have a non-trivial effect on night time inversion temperatures.
Tell me more exactly what you want to know about Brisbane and I’ll find out. I used to fly out of there at least monthly.
BTW, Archerfield aerodrome does still exist as civil as noted, but unlike Amberley it is surrounded by suburbs and has changed from rural to urban since WWII, with most the the change starting about 1960. My apologies for not making that clear. Climate records do exist for Brisbane Metro, Brisbane airport (both eagle Farm and Pinkenba), Archerfield and Amberley and most likely, about a dozen other sites within a 50 km radius of Brisbane. Many would go back to the early 1900s. Although their absolute temp values might be questioned, their trends remain a valuable resource.
Don’t let the Yank locic delete them, please.
It’s only a small thing, but I see CRU longitudes are negative east of Greeenwich, while GISS longitudes are the opposite. Have to pay attention when plotting.
There are further Australian problems. There are towns missing from the CRU data that are present in the Bureau of Meteorology official data, eg Cooma, built in 1955 or so for the Snowy Mountains Hydro scheme, south of Canberra. It flourishes today with some ten thousand people. I would expect it to have a record from 1955 to present, as it is an oasis in an area of sparse towns and works with the ski industry, who sometimes take temps.
There is Tennant Creek in the centre of the Northern Territory, part of the overland telegraph and record keeping from 1874; started gold mining about 1950s, pop about 2,000, again surrounded by few towns. Not on the CRU file.
These are just 2 towns that came to mind as missing when I did an eyeball through the CRU data. I suppose I could find, at this rate, at least 20 more, each with some form of importance (say to fill in holes in area coverage).
There are other missing or quizzical data. Newer Brisbane Airport (see above) was reclaimed from coastal swamps. The old airport was not much higher on land. The CRU data have no altitude figures. The Bureau gives an elevation of 41m, which sounds like the top of a control tower. Or wise provision for inevitable sea level rise.
That’s very interesting, Geoff. There is absolutely no way that Brisbane Airport’s tarmac (and general ground) level is at 41m elevation. As you say, the whole area is built from reclaimed mangrove swamp. They may have built it up a few metres, but nothing like 40.
There are only two possible explanations: the BOM is wrong, or the station is on top of a structure. (A few months ago, I would have thought the latter suggestion was laughable. Now, after surfacestations’ documentation, it becomes surprisingly credible.) I’m not sure that Joe Public could gain access to confirm and document its sighting, in this day and age of The War Against Terror.
A few more matching locations from
ftp://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/pub/ndp020/jonesnh.dat and
ftp://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/pub/ndp020/jonessh.dat
and a better match for Taipei.
726700 CODY USA 445 1091 1521 1 1909 1980 10 1909
72670000 CODY USA 44.5 -109.1 1521 NA NA NA NA NA
725027 NEW YORK USA 407 740 10 1 1822 1977 10 1822
72502700 NEW YORK USA 40.7 -74 10 NA NA NA NA NA
724706 PIUTE DAM USA 383 1122 1798 1 1918 1970 20 1918
72470600 PIUTE DAM USA 38.3 -112.2 1798 NA NA NA NA NA
727886 PROSSER 4 USA 463 1198 275 1 1913 1980 10 1913
72788600 PROSSER 4 USA 46.3 -119.8 275 NA NA NA NA NA
715274 RIDGETOWN CANADA 425 819 206 1 1885 1980 12 1886
71997700 RIDGETOWN ACS CANADA 42.5 -81.9 206 NA NA NA NA NA
467490 TAICHUNG TAIWAN 242 -1207 85 1 1897 1960 12 1897
46749000 TAICHUNG TAIWAN 24.2 120.7 84 NA NA NA NA NA
466920 TAIPEI TAIWAN 250 -1215 9 1 1897 1972 10 1897
46692000 TAIPEI TAIWAN 25 121.5 5 NA NA NA NA NA
726878 UMATILLA USA 459 1194 86 1 1902 1965 10 1902
72687800 UMATILLA USA 45.9 -119.4 86 NA NA NA NA NA
722867 YORBA LINDA USA 339 1178 117 1 1914 1980 10 1914
72286700 YORBA LINDA USA 33.9 -117.8 117 NA NA NA NA NA
The following matches were found via a file named cruwlda2.zip which
once was available at http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/advance10k/climdata.htm
but now the comment says “This dataset is no longer available …”
However,I got a copy back when it was available, an so did Warwick. 🙂
94576000 BRISBANE APT AUSTRALIA -27.5 153 41 NA NA NA NA NA
945760__ BRISBANE APT AUSTRALIA -275-1530 41 19511970 101951
945780__ BRISBANE APT AUSTRALIA -275-1530 0 18871990 101887
82596000 CEARA MIRIM BRAZIL -5.7 -35.4 0 NA NA NA NA NA
825960__ CEARA MIRIM BRAZIL -57 354 64 19691980 101969
78455000 DAJABOU DOMINICA 19.6 -71.7 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
784550__ DAJABOU DOMINICA 196 717 -999 19611968 101961
83379000 FORMOSA BRAZIL -15.5 -47.3 906 NA NA NA NA NA
833790__ FORMOSA BRAZIL -155 473 906 19611974 101961
61834000 KISSIDOUGOU GUINEA 9.1 -10.1 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
618340__ KISSIDOUGOU GUINEA 91 101 -999 19731980 101973
94567000 MARYBOROUGH AUSTRALIA -25.5 152.7 11 NA NA NA NA NA
945670__ MARYBOROUGH COMPOSIT E 256-1526 0 19081989 101908
78461000 MOCA DOMINICA 19.4 -70.5 -999 NA NA NA NA NA
784610__ MOCA DOMINICA 194 705 -999 19611968 101961
722310__ NEW ORLEANS USA 300 901 17 18741990 101874
72231000 NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIA USA 30 -90.3 9 NA NA NA NA NA
72503000 NEW YORK/LA GUARDIA, USA 40.8 -73.9 9 NA NA NA NA NA
725030__ NEW YORK/LAGARDIA USA 408 739 16 19471990 101947
467350__ PENGHU FORMOSA 235-1196 11 19511966 101951
46735000 PENGHU TAIWAN 23.6 119.6 10 NA NA NA NA NA
999224__ PERGAMINO ARGENTINA -999-1999 -999 19311960 101931
87484000 PERGAMINO/INTA ARGENTINA -33.9 -60.6 65 NA NA NA NA NA
I’m new to this but wouldn’t the World Meteorological Organization have a master list to check all this against?
I did a quick check of the US portion of the CRU list to find CRU stations in Ohio. To my surprise, there was only 1 overlap with the USHCN set, namely Wooster Experimental Station.
The others were the following urban locations: Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Akron/Canton, Cleveland, Sandusky (not to be confused with the distant Upper Sandusky USHCN site), Youngstown, and Toledo. The Columbus station is the thriving Port Columbus International Airport. MMS actually gives its baggage code, CMH, as one of its identifiers! The MMS Map tab Satellite option shows a jet taxiing down a nearby, heavily blackened runway. Furthermore, CMH is downwind
of the city proper.
I haven’t checked the other urban sites, but I suspect they are also airports. Out west, where there are fewer international airports per square mile, the frequency of airports may be less. But in ROW, I suspect there are a lot of airports.
So is CRU measuring global warming, or global air traffic?
PS: Anthony gives Wooster a 3, but I think that is rather harsh. There’s just a dinky brick building whose corner is ~15 m from the sensor. You have to search the NSEW photos to even find it. More anon, elsewhere, perhaps.
Some idiot wrote (#30)
Um … make that (E).
Steve identifies the “Sidney” CRU station (#72531100, 40.3, -84.2) with Charleston [IL], 39.48, -88.16 [GHCN 42572531001]. In fact, this would be Sidney, Shelby Co., OH (N. of Dayton on I 75, between Piqua and Wapakoneta). It is not clear, however, whether this would be Sidney 1S (COOP 337693, NCDC 20015400; 40.27056, -84.15056) or the nearby Sidney Highway Dept (COOP 337698, NCDC 20015406; 40.298330, -84.163330). In either event, this is neither an urban airport nor an USHCN station, unlike the other Ohio CRU stations.
Here are some corrections to the concordance. I posted them already on the 12/16/07 thread #2508 on SF weather stations, but for Steve’s convenience am copying them here:
For further discussion of these two CRU sites, see thread #2508.
Steve: I’ve updated the CRU.info to correct this and some related misses.
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