Seasons

How the Average High is Sort of A Lie

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The average high temperature reported on the news is actually a lie. 🌡

They don’t usually report the average high but the climate normal high, which is not the average of recorded high temperatures over the past thirty years but a smoothed data set that has various adjustments to account for missing data and errors in measurements, along with suppressing other statistical anomalies like record breaking heat or cold on any one particular day.

Difference Between Climate Adjusted Average High and Actual Average High (March 1991-2020)
When they report on news the average high, it’s not what you think it is.
Day Climate Normal High 1991-2020 Highs Averaged Together 1991-2020 Difference
1 40.0 39.7 0.3
2 40.0 39.7 0.3
3 41.0 38.0 3.0
4 41.0 37.5 3.5
5 41.0 38.6 2.4
6 42.0 39.8 2.2
7 42.0 40.8 1.2
8 42.0 43.8 −1.8
9 43.0 42.8 0.2
10 43.0 43.8 −0.8
11 43.0 42.3 0.7
12 44.0 41.6 2.4
13 44.0 41.9 2.1
14 44.0 43.6 0.4
15 45.0 45.6 −0.6
16 45.0 44.0 1.0
17 45.0 44.8 0.2
18 46.0 43.5 2.5
19 46.0 44.7 1.3
20 47.0 45.8 1.2
21 47.0 45.3 1.7
22 48.0 43.5 4.5
23 48.0 42.9 5.1
24 48.0 47.1 0.9
25 49.0 48.8 0.2
26 49.0 49.0 0.0
27 50.0 51.3 −1.3
28 50.0 51.6 −1.6
29 51.0 52.4 −1.4
30 51.0 52.2 −1.2
31 52.0 53.3 −1.3
Andy Arthur, 3/6/23.
Data Source: National Weather Service, Albany.

NOAA Explains here: https://www.noaa.gov/explainers/understanding-climate-normals

So the average high is kind of like calling twinkies a food.

Meteorological winter comes to an end today.

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Meteorological winter comes to an end today. This has been a colder winter then recent ones — we only had one 60 degree day, hitting 62 degrees on December 21st. Previous winters in recent memory had some 70 degrees days.

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