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 |