Lance gave me the heads up – BoM says at the old AWAP rain maps page – [Please visit the new Rainfall maps page and update your links.
The Bureau of Meteorology has upgraded its monthly gridded rainfall analysis. The enhanced analysis known as Australian Gridded Climate Data (AGCD) employs improvements in statistical modelling and scientific techniques.
The new page also includes the daily data and the previously separate rainfall archive and RMSE pages.] Here is the Old AWAP map for calendar 2019 – and here is the new AGCD map for calendar 2019 – I am surprised at the differences. Hoping readers search around various periods and post any interesting differences.
Here is a change, its getting cooler for a change.
www.weatherzone.com.au/news/remarkably-cold-week-in-australia/532655
There are many examples of contouring becoming dryer in the new 2019 map, Cape York, the group of central to SW Qld to SE NT group, Gove Peninsular – thats enough for now.
I have also noticed there is a disconnect between the Annual Climate summaries data on rainfall and the Time series graphs. The last 3 years have shown a drop of some 20mms – not a lot but why? Adjusting the rainfall record down to make the last 3 years even worse.
Changing the 30 year “average period” would alter the percentages. There is much we have to understand about these changes.
Going back in time to 1902 and comparing the two maps – Old AWAP map for calendar 1902 – new AGCD map for calendar 1902 – We see obvious changes, here are a few areas from the AWAP map – southern Pilbara & interior 3 x blue grey areas – green bullseye east of Morawa – Darwin area – huge area north of Eucla – Wyndham-Kalumburu region – they all become dryer on the new AGCD map.
Good stuff is homogenization.
Not only does it make the past cooler, but it also makes the past drier.
MAGIC – performed by the BoM magicians!!!
Just what use are these maps. There are 62 days of rainfall data missing for Manjimup 6258 for this year so far on CDO. The gauge is working as it shows daily on Meteye so it’s simply not uploading. This issue plus gauge failures at other weather stations totally distort the records. Incompetent doesn’t come close to describing Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
In 2016 there was 62.7mm missed over a 22 day period by the same weather station, but recorded by DPAW just 50 meters from the weather station.