There has been widespread coverage of a scientific paper detailing an update to the joint Met Office Hadley Centre and University of East Anglia, HadCRUT global temperature dataset. The paper is published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Compiled from temperature observations obtained over land and sea, HadCRUT is used as a basis for a global temperature record going back to 1850. The latest version of the dataset, called HadCRUT4, includes newly available data – notably adding much more information from the sparsely observed northern higher latitude region. Differences in the way sea surface temperature observations have been collected have been taken account of and the new version also provides much more detail on uncertainty.

The amendments do not change the long-term trend. Annual global mean temperature record under HadCRUT3 and HadCRUT4 can be found on the Met Office website.

The BBC reported on the ‘Update for world temperature data‘, while the Telegraph reported ‘World warmed even more in last ten years than previously thought when Arctic data added’. Elsewhere the Mail Online reported that ‘New temperature record confirms world HAS warmed 0.75C since 1900‘. Other reports included the Herald, Scotsman, ClickGreen and the New York Times.

The Telegraph and CCRMagazine.com have written about the Government publication of the Terms of Reference for the Data Strategy Board & the Public Data Group. The Met Office, as part of the Public Data Group, with Ordnance Survey, Land Registry and Companies House is already making data available allowing the public and businesses access to our data that will allow it to be re-used and repackaged.

Real-time weather observation and forecast datasets made available for the first time by the Met Office in November are an example of the kind of data that will promote the creation of high-value businesses, while widening the marketplace and empowering the individual citizen. Following this Golfmagic.com reports on how Marriot Golf has launched a new app which has Met Office weather forecasts embedded into the App.

In other news the BBC reports on the British team that is developing a car that will capable of reaching 1,000mph. The Met Office is supporting Bloodhound SSC (SuperSonic Car), by providing scientific monitoring of the weather ahead of any record attempt. The Mail Online and the Observer both report on the inclusion of Space Weather in the National Risk Register. The Met Office is working with partners in the UK and the US on developing an operational space weather service.

Related articles

• Update for world temperature data (BBC)
• World warmed even more in last ten years than previously thought when Arctic data added (Telegraph)
• New temperature record confirms world HAS warmed 0.75C since 1900 (Daily Mail)
• Bombshell: After Fixing Errors, UK Met Office Says 2010, 2005 Hottest Years on Record, World Warming Faster Than Thought (thinkprogress.org)
• Climate, truth and integrity, part two (learningfromdogs.com)