I have been attempting to get summarized daily data for all locations and all states from NOAA to update an analysis of record minimum temperatures. The problem is that the data, going backward, stops with November, 2006 and I want to update back through January, 2005. A very helpful contact at NOAA indicated that they are running a computer full time to populate the database with the detailed records, but it is slow going.
I'm not sure why that should be necessary or how/where data was previously available... perhaps because the records were not computerized in the past.For example, you can get copies of the actual records at COOP stations by going here. This is an example of a daily record for December, 2007 at one of those sites.
The data is manually collected and then submitted and somehow tabulated. It is reasonable to assume that NOAA has a small army of transcribers who enter the data into computer records and those records are then used by their Pantheon of Climate to describe, in fractions of degrees, how our part of the world is warming... presumably after the raw data has been "corrected" as described by Steven McIntyre here.
I just thought you might want to know a little more about the system that is behind legislation and decisions that may cost this nation trillions of dollars in the next few decades.
This presentation shows the impact of improper siting and maintenance on weather stations and the data from those stations.
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I just thought you might want to know a little more about the system that is behind legislation and decisions that may cost this nation trillions of dollars in the next few decades.
It may be adequate or it may be hopelessly antiquated for the purpose it is now being used. The trouble is, we will probably never really know for sure.What concerns me about this system is that it relies on human observation and human recording [even if the weather station equipment itself has nice, digital displays]. Perhaps some of the trillions of dollars ought to be used for an automated recording system linked to a central system that requires humans only to verify the instrument accuracy and proper station siting... separate major issues.
Satellites may be the way that is accomplished, ultimately. But that remains to be seen.ADDENDUM
This presentation shows the impact of improper siting and maintenance on weather stations and the data from those stations.
..