It is hot, but this is absurd reporting: Land temperatures in Spain surpass 60C as deadly heatwave sweeps Europe (msn.com)
Normally, weather services and news report air temperatures. We have a sense of what is “normal” for air temperatures but we have no idea what is “normal” for a surface temperature.
For context – 60 deg C corresponds to 140 deg F. This is hot, but as we shall see, is completely normal.
At my house the air temperature is 90 deg F right now, which is also the official NWS temperature measured at the nearby airport. We have full sun, blue sky and just a hint of a tiny breeze (may be 1-3 mph) and humidity of 12%.
I measured the land surface here – temperatures varied from 135 deg F to 162 deg F depending on what was measured.
- White concrete and white sand measured about 135 deg F.
- A gray, 3/4″ gravel rock driveway measured 150 deg F.
- The surface of the asphalt street in front my house measured 151 deg F. The surface of the just resurfaced (yesterday!) street around the corner also measured 151 deg F.
- The temperature of bare earth along that road measured 162 deg F. A second measure of earth a short distance away measured 160 deg.
- The temperature of a large, weathered (light gray) lava rock measured 133 deg F. This may have been due to its angle to the sun, it’s density, and that it was very porous with many holes from gases when it was originally formed.
162 deg F corresponds to 73 deg C, well above the 60 deg C quoted in the above news report. And that was reached at a normal summer air temperature of 90 deg F.
From this, it is apparent that a surface temperature of 60 deg C, from the report, is normal and is not a cause for alarm.
The creative news writer created alarm, fear and anxiety by making this report. This uses a technique called “Anchoring” – which is to say, it “anchors” your thinking about a 60 degree C temperature (with the phrasing “deadly heatwave”), which many will confuse with air temperature. The story teller notes in the text that “experts” say this temperature should not be confused with air temperature (no duh!) But provides no context as to what a normal surface temperature might be – when 60 deg C is a very normal summertime surface temperature – and not a cause for alarm.
The news reporter created unnecessary anxiety and fear through this hyperbole. The headline seems intended as click bait or propaganda messaging – and without context, is misleading at best and is probably misinformation.
Update: The Las Vegas NWS office made a post showing land surface temperatures. Of interest, I used the exact same device to measure the surface temperatures in my neighborhood, above. As you can see, the “60C” temperature of the above news story (about 140 deg F) is entirely normal on a summer day.
Update – And this gets passed on social media – yet a 180 deg F pavement temperature is not a new phenomena. See how the lack of historical context leads to people believing things that are not correct?
This new found interest in land surface temperatures by the media really needs to explained – why did not they not care about these temperatures in the past?
Esther Bintliff is the new editor of the New York Times in London. She has a degree in English and in Journalism, no science background.
Note – In the 21st century it is tough to practice factfulness, to ask reasonable questions, and to try and understand the actual details. Unfortunately, noting inconsistencies and contradictions is, in the 21st century, forbidden and results in being name called as a “denier”, even if that is not the case.
