Fixing The Warm Temperature Bias At Yakima

The accuracy of temperature sensors used past times the National Weather Service, FAA, together with others is real important.   Agricultural interests depend on reliable temperatures to brand critical decisions nigh planting together with other issues.  And the evaluation of global warming tin live undermined past times biased temperature sensors.

This weblog has described a number of examples of problematic surface temperature observations at a number of sites, alongside a recent weblog noting issues at Yakima Airport in fundamental Washington, where temperatures stimulate got consistently been equally good warm compared to other observing locations inward the region.  These problems stimulate got been obvious for several years. 

The work had to live the temperature sensor, since at that spot was piddling urbanization inward the expanse (see satellite map below).


The skilful word is that the National Weather Service has finally replaced the Yakima temperature sensor on May 8 together with the problems appear to stimulate got been ameliorated.  Let me present yous the touching on of the novel sensor together with present yous to a greater extent than nigh this long-standing problem.

Here is the temperature anomaly (the deviation from average) for daily average temperature over Washington State for the lastly 3 years.  Repeat: 3 years.   Temperatures stimulate got mostly been inward a higher house normal for the past times 3 years over Washington, alongside i location existence crazy warm (red color, 3-5F inward a higher house normal).   Which location?  Yakima Airport.

Last ii years?  Yakima was equally good warm.

Last year?   Yakima is i time again standing out equally an anomalously warm location.

Last 3 months?  Yakima is notwithstanding real warm.

The lastly month, which alone includes a brusque menses alongside the bad sensor?  The Yakima work is almost non-existent.


 The lastly week?  The warm anomaly is gone!   

The bottom line:  it is clear Yakima had a bad temperature sensor for years together with that replacing the unit of measurement corrected the issue. 

But why did it stimulate got together with hence long to position this work together with swap out the sensor?

You mightiness stimulate got noticed about other work station...a cool one..over the northeast side of Washington State.  Perhaps a theme of a hereafter blog.



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