Air temperature is defined as not being in shade or under cover. There is a reason air temp ,pressure ,humidity is measured on airport’s first is critical to flight mass and lift calculations and second the airport is a wide open space with no trees nor cover to mess up the air readings. The NWS sensor stack is always away from black top and concrete over grass and away from buildings that could block airflow or radiate heat. Accurate real air temp , humidity and pressure are absolutely critical to flight OPS. One wrong calculation and people die when the plane is over mass for the indicated air density conditions. Everything is not a conspiracy airport data has been the official weather data for a region for nearly 100 years precisely because of the critical need for actuate data for aircraft OPS.
Temp reporting stations get moved tho...KFAT (Fresno Air Terminal) had the NWS office about a half mile off the airport property and that was the “official” Fresno airport temp reporting station for decades...due to budget constraints about 15 years ago the official CA Central Valley NWS office was moved to Hanford, CA and a new NWS temp station was erected on the airport property....so minor variations in temp history are to be expected (plus the temp station build standards/location standards/tech has changed over the last 100 years).
Excellent exposition. Thank you.
Good explanation of the importance of obs at airports for flight safety.
But the proportion of impermeable surfaces at airports has changed significantly in 100 years.
Urban heat islands are a significant contributor to higher temperature data.
I’d like to see data that excludes airports, urban, rooftop, and parking lot WX station data.
It might help everyone understand the truth.
Just remember, for practical everyday use, place the thermometer in the shade.