Paul Homewood discusses BBC claims that Heatwaves are more likely due to climate change. And because 2014 was the “hottest” year.

So I decided to look at the HADCET MAXTEMP data.

Not the average. The maximum.

I then arbitrarily set the heatwave boundary at 25C.

And then calculated the number of days over 25 and the longest stretch (ie Heatwave).

Guess what? 2014 barely ranks. Only 8 days above 25.  1911 had 29! (See large table at bottom for 25C heatwaves)

What if I set the Heatwave definition at 30C? There are only 8 years that have days over 30C.

1976 is the winner. And 1976 was 39 years ago! (Corrected from 30)

The 30C days and temps.

“1976-07-01” “1976-07-02” “1976-07-03” “1976-07-04” “1976-07-05” “1976-07-06” “1976-07-07”
“30.6” “31.8” “33.2” “31.4” “31.4” “31.6” “30.4”

30C Heatwaves

Year	Days	Longest Heatwave
1976	9	7
1995	5	4
1975	4	2
1906	3	3
1948	3	3
2006	3	2
1923	2	2
1990	2	2

25C Heatwave.

Year	Days	Longest Heatwave
1976	33	16
1995	33	10
1911	29	4
2006	26	7
1947	25	10
2003	23	10
1949	22	6
1933	21	6
1893	19	6
1921	19	6
1955	19	5
1975	19	8
1983	18	7
1989	18	7
1899	17	4
1887	16	3
1959	16	3
1990	16	4
1997	16	7
2013	16	8
2005	15	5
1884	14	5
1900	14	3
1935	14	4
1999	14	5
2001	13	5
1941	12	3
1878	11	6
1897	11	4
1898	11	5
1934	11	8
1970	11	5
1984	10	5
1901	9	5
1925	9	3
1942	9	4
1982	9	2
1991	9	3
1994	9	3
1996	9	5
2004	9	2
1906	8	5
1929	8	3
1957	8	4
1960	8	3
1969	8	3
1986	8	4
2014	8	5
1896	7	2
1919	7	2
1923	7	3
1944	7	3
1952	7	2
1973	7	4
1886	6	3
1895	6	2
1908	6	3
1914	6	2
1926	6	4
1937	6	2
1940	6	4
1945	6	3
1946	6	5
1961	6	2
2010	6	2
2011	6	3
1881	5	2
1885	5	4
1918	5	3
1930	5	4
1948	5	5
1953	5	2
1977	5	5
1987	5	2
1992	5	2
1998	5	4
2000	5	3
2009	5	4
1891	4	4
1902	4	2
1904	4	2
1912	4	3
1922	4	2
1928	4	2
1932	4	2
1936	4	3
1939	4	4
1943	4	2
1950	4	4
1963	4	2
1968	4	2
2008	4	2
1894	3	2
1905	3	2
1917	3	2
1978	3	2
1980	3	2
1988	3	2
2002	3	2
1880	2	2
1924	2	2
1972	2	2