“All temperature values have uncertainties, which arise mainly from gaps in data coverage. The size of the uncertainties is such that the global average temperature for 2006 is statistically indistinguishable from, and could be anywhere between, the first and the eighth warmest year on record.”

Quiz, what’s does WMO say about anthro contribution? What does WMO say about tropical cyclones? Status on understanding of atmosphere chemistry and need for accurate measurements?

Further to this post — not nearly as important as the bridge collapse hypothesis, I know — here’s a recent story that may matter to some people:

http://www.cnn.com/ 2007/ TECH/ science/ 08/ 07/ weather.extremes/ index.html

By the way, I just finished your “fellow Fellow” Matt Miller’s book, The Two Percent Solution. Excellent book. Helps one keep everything in perspective. There are other problems out there… and the center is a bit sick of hearing the extreme right and left tee it up with the same old gridlock (witness the bridge collapse debate turning into a ridiculous debate over socialism vs. free markets).

Good luck….

Those of us in your camp (or at least partially in) trust that you and your assistant, Ms. Manlove, are doing all you can to try to get your up-to-date, timely, and comprehensive book into the hands of returning college students majoring in Environmental Science as one of their required textbooks.

Time better spent than sparring endlessly with denyers….

By the way, I saw a post where someone recently asked about the assembly of average global temperatures. I’m curious as well: How is this done? How many data points are involved? How often are readings taken? How is the data averaged into the single figure typically cited by experts in the field?

Thanks.