The Urban Heat Island Effect in Winnipeg

Temperatures are warmer in the centre city compared to more isolated measuring points.
Published on September 26, 2007

Executive Summary

  • The surface temperature record is held by many, including the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to be a clear indicator of what is happening to global temperature.
  • However there are serious problems with the surface temperature record relating to differences in human activity near each measuring station.
  • Two weather measurement stations in one city, Winnipeg, show differences in temperature that are bigger than the entire temperature change of last century.
  • The average low temperature recorded at the more isolated and exposed Winnipeg airport location was 2.73 degrees cooler than those recorded at the Forks, in downtown Winnipeg.
  • The average high temperature recorded at the more isolated and exposed Winnipeg airport location was 1.57 degrees cooler than those recorded at the Forks, in downtown Winnipeg.
  • Closing the airport measurement station would create the illusion of a sudden “warming” by these temperature differences in Winnipeg.
  • There is a strong case to be made that changes in the locations of measuring stations and the human activities taking place near them can explain the differences in records.
  • The IPCC have made indecisive attempts at demonstrating that the surface measured data they use is reliable.
  • Changes in surface measured temperatures are significantly different to more reliable satellite measurements.

Read in PDF version here.

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