Does NOAA delete or change past weather data?

 

Chuck Lewis, said Mark Darpino asked me to comment on  NOAA being entangled in a scandal involving NOAA manipulating data from past decades to change how temperatures and precipitation events are viewed currently. So since Mark, is asking, I'm sure others are asking the same thing; So I wanted to post the answer here.

Mark, the answer to your question is yes NOAA is changing past weather data.  NOAA says this is a conspiracy that they are manipulating the historical weather data. NOAA is saying that “The routine, public adjustments to records happen for good reason”.  But, if they are adjusting the record, then it isn’t a conspiracy but instead a fact.

Today weather data is collected through a network of weather stations, satellites and other monitoring tools, but decades ago weather was collected and recorded by hand. NOAA says “many of these records were recording things differently than others, so the raw historical data might not always reflect accurate or consistent conditions”. Could these adjustments be used to support global warming ideas and theories? My answer is maybe.

I think the original data should be safe guarded and remain in the record, with changes to that data added as a foot note. Otherwise, it is hard to judge the historical record when trying to compare data from the distinct past to current trends. This is especially true when it comes to the idea of climate change and how it is truly affecting our weather patterns.  

I want to point out, that I often take a look at state historical records when doing analogue forecasting. So, I would advise anyone who what’s to look at the past data. To remember there are a lot of states and organizations that record climate data. Use this to try and double check NOAA data.