52.34434 -3.94818 Met Office CIMO Assessed Class 2 Installed 1/1/1950 (archived temperature from 1993)
Trawsgoed weather station has been in its current location since 1993 though a former station separately numbered DCNN8076 was previously nearby from 1950. No archived temperature readings seem to exIst for this former location. The Screen is administered by the University of Aberystwyth on their Trawsgoed Farm Estate. The roadways around the site are not public highways, only little used farm tracks. The site is also a high temperature record holder.
The sort of temperature reading noted above is the result of the widely understood Foehn Effect often occurring in both north and west Wales and north western Scotland. A further example was noted in this Wales Online article.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/actual-reason-its-been-hot-15883927
This noted effect, however, does not seem to prohibit the Met Office from sensationalising such natural, if complex, weather events out of all proportion and implying other causes.
None of this indicates any problems whatsoever with the Trawsgoed site. That it records such events is simply one of its functions. The implication that this recording at a site (with only 26 years history at the time) is somehow indicative of anything other than an occasional weather phenomenon is a poor reflection on the modern day Met Office.
A pattern seems to be emerging that sites run by working agricultural and educational institutions such as Trawsgoed, Rothamsted Research, S.R.U.C and others are much better sited and maintained than most others. The site’s purposes are primarily for immediate practical applications, there is no benefit to such institutions in having anything other than accurate wide area information. An aerial view of this site from the University promotional video shows some attractive panoramic views and confirms the natural and representative nature of the location.
Trawsgoed is a good quality site, just rather a pity there are so few of them. Its data inclusion in a restyled modern temperature record would be welcome.
via Tallbloke’s Talkshop
December 21, 2024 at 04:46AM
Iowa Climate Science Education 