Global warming 1980-2011 looks different « Reasonable Doubt on Climate Change

The other day I downloaded the latest Climate Research Unit temperature anomaly data (global mean) here. Looking at the data I noticed something strange. The anomalies are given to 3 decimal places. For instance, here is the data for 1850:

1850 -0.675 -0.359 -0.742 -0.572 -0.410 -0.316 -0.257 -0.336 -0.487 -0.459 -0.282 -0.327 -0.435

A quick aside: let’s ask ourselves a question. Do you think in 1850 that temperatures were measured to the accuracy given here? Do you really think that in 1850 the global mean temperature was known to a thousandths of a degree? Or that on a given day in some town in England they knew it was say 15.672 degrees C?

Such an accuracy seems unlikely to me. I would guess in 1850, or 1900 for that matter, giving temperatures to a tenth of a degree would be generous. Maybe a reader can convince me otherwise. Anyway why not round it to a tenth of a degree to better reflect reality? Sticking those extra digits in there seems unacceptable, scientifically.

CBS 7 - Your Eye on West Texas

Below normal temperatures are expected to remain in the forecast for the rest of the week. After record low morning temperatures, a warm up is expected this afternoon