Email 2903, Feb 2009, Phil Jones on problems with Antarctic temperature data: "The problem is that some sites get buried, but still seem to transmit"

Email 2903

I've done a lot with the Antarctic temperature data - I also have an archive of MSLP data for most sites (for some it is station level pressure). With regards homogeneity it is difficult to do much beyond the Peninsula (and be confident about anything) as the stations are too far apart. There is an issue I could ask Adrian - whether ERA-INTERIM is good enough since 1988? This could also assess the AVHRR, but this may be circular. I've read Steig et al now, and I can see all the comments on the CA and RC sites about some of the data. It seems that BAS have made some mistakes with some of the AWS sites. The only AWS site used in CRUTEM3 is the one at Byrd, as this is at one of the manned sites. The issue with the AWS's is getting reasonable data in real time. Whilst I was away the checked monthly data arrived for 2002! I will add Byrd's data in. The problem is that some sites get buried, but still seem to transmit.