Updates To HadCRUT Global Temperature Dataset

[bluewave]

http://www.metoffice...hadcrut-updates

19 March 2012 - The global temperature dataset compiled by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit has been updated.

One of the key reasons for slight changes to mean temperature for later years in HadCRUT4 is the inclusion of much more data from the Arctic, an area which is warming faster than other parts of the world.

Phil Jones, Director of the Climatic Research Unit, said: "HadCRUT is underpinned by observations and we've previously been clear it may not be fully capturing changes in the Arctic because we have had so little data from the area.

"For the latest version we have included observations from more than 400 stations across the Arctic, Russia and Canada. This has led to better representation of what's going on in the large geographical region."

Another change relates to dealing with the different ways sea-surface temperatures have been measured. This has had an effect on some years further back in the record, particularly in the mid 20^th century.

[WeatherRusty]

2010 is now recognized as the warmest year in both GISS and HadCRUT databases.