Halle Barry Hot in Africa, with Variable Coverage
Orginal image. It is my belief that as a non-commercial educational work and with a parody intent, use of this image falls under the fair use doctrine.
Africa is Consistently Hot, but has Poor Coverage
When we look into the coverage by 10 degree latitude bands by decade, we see a lot of chaotic change of thermometer records. Sometimes you have coverage, other times not so much. Sort of like a “wardrobe accident” for thermometer records. How can you ever hope to have a stable composite instrument for measuring the temperature of Africa when thermometer records come and go so much? How can you make any comparison of now to the past? Which past dates and temperatures do you use?
Look at Therm.by.lat1.Dec.LAT (Y/N)? y
Year SP -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 -NP
DecPct: 1849 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1859 0.0 9.7 0.0 0.0 6.5 6.5 12.9 0.0 64.5 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1869 0.0 25.6 0.0 0.0 2.6 0.0 23.1 0.0 48.7 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1879 0.0 11.9 0.0 0.0 4.8 14.3 8.3 1.2 59.5 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1889 0.0 9.9 3.4 0.3 0.7 8.2 3.1 8.6 65.8 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1899 0.0 7.1 5.1 4.9 7.6 11.3 5.6 5.1 53.3 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1909 0.0 4.6 8.3 8.2 10.8 12.9 11.7 8.5 35.0 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1919 0.0 3.8 9.9 8.3 8.9 19.0 17.7 10.3 22.1 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1929 0.0 3.2 10.9 13.5 7.5 20.0 16.8 8.6 19.5 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1939 0.0 2.7 12.1 13.4 8.7 17.5 14.0 9.0 22.5 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1949 0.4 6.0 12.4 13.7 9.3 16.1 17.1 8.8 16.2 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1959 1.4 3.3 7.9 11.9 10.6 24.4 25.3 6.0 9.2 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1969 1.4 4.3 9.0 11.9 11.0 23.5 23.9 7.0 8.1 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1979 1.6 4.7 9.9 10.9 8.8 22.4 27.2 6.3 8.1 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1989 2.1 6.6 11.2 9.4 7.5 20.3 25.8 6.1 11.0 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1999 1.6 3.6 7.3 8.5 6.2 17.9 29.4 7.5 17.8 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 2009 1.3 2.7 5.5 7.8 6.8 15.2 29.8 9.3 21.7 0.0 100.0
For COUNTRY CODE: 1
Sidebar: I had cooked up a version of my code that would take a list of country codes, so that I could do area studies. In doing this, I realized that the “area” portion of the country code, the first digit, groups stations by continent. Voila! I can immediately do “by continent” studies. It may be better for some continents than for others, but for places like Africa with a zillion little country codes in it, and sporadic records, it’s a very good thing indeed. And that is why the “country code” is a single digit.
If we look at the detail by year, it’s even worse. Many latitude bands for many early years have little or no coverage. There is one block of decent coverage that starts in about 1920, that then starts to erode from both the north and the south toward the middle starting in about 1950. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the south starts to recover, but at the expense of the equatorial band that is eroding. Then in the late 1980s to early 1990s we see the northern band fill out. To me, it looks for all the world like a map of revolutions and oil prosperity. When the politics are unstable, the thermometer record count drops. When stability returns, and sometimes oil money with it, “luxuries” like weather stations are tended.
We end with the late 1990s into the 2000s with the thermometers clustering on each side of the midriff, er, Sahara. In the Sahara, not so much… Leaving very little to cover below the equator.
Year SP -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 -NP
LATpct: 1849 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1849 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1850 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1851 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1852 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1853 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1854 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1855 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1856 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 75.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1857 0.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 60.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1858 0.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 60.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1859 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 16.7 0.0 16.7 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1859 0.0 9.7 0.0 0.0 6.5 6.5 12.9 0.0 64.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1860 0.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 60.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1861 0.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 60.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1862 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1863 0.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1864 0.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 40.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1865 0.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1866 0.0 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 66.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1867 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1868 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1869 0.0 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 33.3 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1869 0.0 25.6 0.0 0.0 2.6 0.0 23.1 0.0 48.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1870 0.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1871 0.0 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 66.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1872 0.0 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 66.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1873 0.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1874 0.0 16.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 16.7 0.0 33.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1875 0.0 14.3 0.0 0.0 14.3 28.6 14.3 0.0 28.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1876 0.0 14.3 0.0 0.0 14.3 28.6 14.3 0.0 28.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1877 0.0 14.3 0.0 0.0 14.3 28.6 14.3 0.0 28.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1878 0.0 4.8 0.0 0.0 4.8 9.5 4.8 0.0 76.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1879 0.0 4.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.1 0.0 4.5 81.8 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1879 0.0 11.9 0.0 0.0 4.8 14.3 8.3 1.2 59.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1880 0.0 4.3 0.0 0.0 4.3 8.7 0.0 8.7 73.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1881 0.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 8.0 0.0 12.0 68.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1882 0.0 8.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.0 0.0 12.0 72.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1883 0.0 8.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.3 0.0 8.3 75.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1884 0.0 8.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.3 4.2 8.3 70.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1885 0.0 15.4 7.7 0.0 0.0 3.8 7.7 7.7 57.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1886 0.0 12.9 6.5 0.0 0.0 9.7 6.5 6.5 58.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1887 0.0 12.5 6.2 0.0 0.0 6.2 6.2 9.4 59.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1888 0.0 10.5 5.3 0.0 0.0 7.9 2.6 7.9 65.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1889 0.0 9.1 4.5 2.3 0.0 11.4 2.3 6.8 63.6 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1889 0.0 9.9 3.4 0.3 0.7 8.2 3.1 8.6 65.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1890 0.0 9.5 4.8 2.4 0.0 11.9 2.4 7.1 61.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1891 0.0 9.1 4.5 2.3 0.0 9.1 2.3 6.8 65.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1892 0.0 7.3 3.6 3.6 5.5 12.7 3.6 5.5 58.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1893 0.0 7.7 3.8 3.8 7.7 13.5 3.8 5.8 53.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1894 0.0 7.3 3.6 3.6 9.1 12.7 3.6 5.5 54.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1895 0.0 6.9 3.4 3.4 13.8 12.1 5.2 5.2 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1896 0.0 7.0 3.5 3.5 8.8 12.3 7.0 3.5 54.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1897 0.0 6.5 8.1 4.8 8.1 9.7 8.1 4.8 50.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1898 0.0 5.6 6.9 8.3 8.3 11.1 8.3 4.2 47.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1899 0.0 5.7 7.1 10.0 10.0 8.6 8.6 4.3 45.7 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1899 0.0 7.1 5.1 4.9 7.6 11.3 5.6 5.1 53.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1900 0.0 6.0 10.4 10.4 9.0 11.9 6.0 4.5 41.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1901 0.0 5.2 9.1 10.4 11.7 10.4 7.8 3.9 41.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1902 0.0 4.8 8.3 9.5 11.9 10.7 9.5 4.8 40.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1903 0.0 5.0 8.8 10.0 11.2 11.2 7.5 6.2 40.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1904 0.0 4.8 7.2 7.2 13.3 12.0 9.6 9.6 36.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1905 0.0 4.5 7.9 6.7 13.5 12.4 13.5 10.1 31.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1906 0.0 4.0 8.1 8.1 11.1 13.1 15.2 9.1 31.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1907 0.0 3.8 7.7 7.7 9.6 14.4 15.4 10.6 30.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1908 0.0 4.4 7.7 5.5 8.8 15.4 15.4 12.1 30.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1909 0.0 4.2 8.4 7.4 8.4 15.8 13.7 11.6 30.5 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1909 0.0 4.6 8.3 8.2 10.8 12.9 11.7 8.5 35.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1910 0.0 3.6 9.1 6.4 7.3 17.3 16.4 10.0 30.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1911 0.0 3.4 8.5 6.8 10.3 18.8 15.4 10.3 26.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1912 0.0 3.6 9.0 7.2 9.0 18.9 16.2 10.8 25.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1913 0.0 3.3 8.3 7.4 7.4 17.4 14.0 10.7 31.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1914 0.0 3.3 8.2 7.4 7.4 17.2 15.6 10.7 30.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1915 0.0 4.3 10.8 9.7 9.7 20.4 18.3 10.8 16.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1916 0.0 4.4 11.1 10.0 10.0 21.1 22.2 8.9 12.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1917 0.0 4.4 12.2 10.0 10.0 21.1 20.0 10.0 12.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1918 0.0 4.4 12.1 9.9 9.9 20.9 22.0 9.9 11.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1919 0.0 4.2 11.5 9.4 9.4 18.8 19.8 10.4 16.7 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1919 0.0 3.8 9.9 8.3 8.9 19.0 17.7 10.3 22.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1920 0.0 4.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 19.0 19.0 11.0 17.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1921 0.0 3.6 10.9 10.9 5.5 21.8 18.2 10.0 19.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1922 0.0 3.7 11.0 11.0 6.4 21.1 19.3 9.2 18.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1923 0.0 3.3 9.8 13.8 8.1 21.1 17.9 8.9 17.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1924 0.0 3.1 10.1 14.0 7.0 20.2 16.3 7.8 21.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1925 0.0 3.0 9.8 14.3 6.8 20.3 16.5 8.3 21.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1926 0.0 2.8 11.3 14.9 7.1 19.9 16.3 7.8 19.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1927 0.0 2.9 11.5 15.1 7.9 18.7 15.8 8.6 19.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1928 0.0 2.9 11.6 15.2 8.7 18.8 14.5 8.0 20.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1929 0.0 2.9 11.7 13.9 8.8 19.7 15.3 7.3 20.4 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1929 0.0 3.2 10.9 13.5 7.5 20.0 16.8 8.6 19.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1930 0.0 2.8 11.1 14.6 8.3 18.8 16.0 8.3 20.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1931 0.0 2.6 11.5 12.2 9.0 17.9 14.1 9.6 23.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1932 0.0 2.6 12.8 13.5 7.1 17.3 14.1 9.6 23.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1933 0.0 2.4 12.1 13.3 8.5 18.2 13.9 9.1 22.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1934 0.0 2.4 12.2 14.0 9.1 17.1 14.0 9.1 22.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1935 0.0 2.5 12.5 13.1 9.4 16.2 14.4 8.8 23.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1936 0.0 3.0 12.1 13.3 9.1 17.0 13.9 8.5 23.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1937 0.0 3.1 12.4 12.4 8.7 18.6 13.7 8.7 22.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1938 0.0 3.0 12.0 13.2 9.0 18.0 13.2 9.0 22.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1939 0.0 3.0 12.0 14.5 9.0 16.3 13.3 9.0 22.9 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1939 0.0 2.7 12.1 13.4 8.7 17.5 14.0 9.0 22.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1940 0.0 6.8 15.5 14.9 9.3 13.0 9.9 9.3 21.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1941 0.0 6.0 12.6 15.1 9.5 14.6 16.6 9.5 16.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1942 0.0 6.1 11.7 14.7 9.6 15.7 17.3 10.2 14.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1943 0.0 6.1 14.2 13.7 9.9 16.0 17.5 9.4 13.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1944 0.0 6.8 11.2 13.7 9.8 16.1 18.5 8.8 15.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1945 0.0 6.7 12.1 13.0 9.4 16.6 17.5 9.0 15.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1946 0.0 6.4 12.4 12.4 9.0 16.7 18.4 8.5 16.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1947 0.8 6.1 11.5 12.3 9.0 17.2 18.4 7.8 16.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1948 1.6 5.7 12.7 12.7 9.0 16.3 15.9 8.6 17.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1949 1.2 4.1 11.5 14.8 8.9 17.2 18.3 7.7 16.3 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1949 0.4 6.0 12.4 13.7 9.3 16.1 17.1 8.8 16.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1950 1.6 4.0 10.8 13.5 9.5 17.7 21.4 6.9 14.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1951 1.2 3.5 8.9 11.9 10.0 22.0 25.9 6.1 10.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1952 1.2 3.6 8.2 11.7 10.9 23.8 25.7 5.9 9.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1953 1.1 3.2 8.1 11.6 10.4 24.5 26.6 5.7 8.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1954 1.2 3.3 7.5 11.5 10.8 25.4 25.9 5.7 8.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1955 1.3 3.1 7.6 11.5 10.7 25.4 25.7 5.6 9.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1956 1.5 3.2 7.7 11.6 10.8 25.3 25.5 5.5 8.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1957 1.6 2.9 7.1 12.1 10.7 25.4 25.5 6.2 8.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1958 1.6 3.0 7.2 12.1 10.8 25.4 25.4 6.3 8.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1959 1.6 3.7 7.2 12.1 10.8 25.6 24.2 6.2 8.5 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1959 1.4 3.3 7.9 11.9 10.6 24.4 25.3 6.0 9.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1960 1.6 5.7 10.6 11.4 10.0 23.9 23.0 5.9 7.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1961 1.3 4.6 9.0 12.5 10.8 23.3 23.0 7.2 8.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1962 1.3 4.2 9.2 12.4 10.8 23.0 23.7 7.2 8.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1963 1.4 4.4 9.1 12.2 11.6 23.5 24.2 6.4 7.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1964 1.4 4.3 8.9 11.7 11.3 24.2 24.2 6.7 7.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1965 1.5 4.1 8.8 11.9 11.3 24.3 23.9 6.7 7.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1966 1.4 3.9 8.7 11.5 11.0 23.6 23.8 7.5 8.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1967 1.3 3.9 8.6 11.7 11.0 23.1 24.3 7.5 8.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1968 1.3 4.0 8.6 11.7 10.8 23.1 24.5 7.5 8.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1969 1.4 3.9 8.5 11.5 11.0 23.1 24.3 7.6 8.6 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1969 1.4 4.3 9.0 11.9 11.0 23.5 23.9 7.0 8.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1970 1.4 3.9 8.5 11.7 10.8 23.4 24.1 7.5 8.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1971 1.5 4.3 9.2 10.6 9.6 23.0 27.0 6.3 8.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1972 1.5 4.4 9.4 10.8 9.2 22.8 27.4 6.3 8.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1973 1.7 4.4 9.7 11.1 9.2 21.1 28.1 6.6 8.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1974 1.6 4.5 9.5 11.0 8.9 22.5 27.6 6.4 8.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1975 1.7 4.7 10.0 11.1 8.1 22.8 28.1 6.1 7.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1976 1.8 5.0 10.4 10.2 8.9 23.5 27.4 5.5 7.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1977 1.6 4.9 10.7 10.6 7.9 22.4 28.1 5.9 7.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1978 1.8 5.4 11.0 11.1 7.4 20.9 27.9 5.9 8.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1979 1.8 5.6 11.2 10.9 7.8 21.6 26.6 5.9 8.7 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1979 1.6 4.7 9.9 10.9 8.8 22.4 27.2 6.3 8.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1980 1.8 5.7 11.3 10.9 7.9 20.1 26.6 6.2 9.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1981 2.1 7.2 11.9 9.8 7.7 20.4 23.4 6.6 11.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1982 2.4 7.4 12.1 10.1 8.9 20.4 23.4 5.6 9.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1983 2.4 7.6 12.4 9.7 8.0 20.5 23.6 6.1 9.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1984 2.4 7.8 12.7 9.4 7.0 21.1 23.7 5.9 9.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1985 2.5 8.1 12.4 9.3 6.5 20.6 24.6 5.9 10.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1986 2.1 7.4 12.2 8.3 6.5 20.8 26.5 6.0 10.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1987 1.8 5.7 9.7 8.3 7.8 19.8 28.5 5.8 12.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1988 1.8 5.4 9.7 9.4 7.3 20.4 27.3 6.1 12.7 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1989 2.1 5.4 9.5 9.4 7.7 19.5 27.6 6.2 12.7 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1989 2.1 6.6 11.2 9.4 7.5 20.3 25.8 6.1 11.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1990 1.9 5.6 10.1 9.8 6.5 16.2 29.4 6.7 13.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1991 1.9 6.6 10.5 7.3 5.6 17.9 27.9 6.8 15.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1992 2.1 2.1 6.0 8.9 7.1 16.7 31.0 7.5 18.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1993 1.7 1.7 5.5 7.8 6.5 19.5 30.0 7.8 19.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1994 1.7 2.0 5.1 7.2 6.8 20.1 29.7 7.8 19.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1995 1.2 2.0 6.0 8.0 6.8 20.7 30.3 6.8 18.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1996 1.4 2.1 5.3 9.2 6.4 17.3 30.0 8.1 20.1 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1997 1.5 2.2 5.9 9.2 6.2 15.8 29.4 8.8 21.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1998 1.1 2.6 5.6 9.6 5.2 18.5 28.9 8.5 20.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 1999 0.8 2.7 4.6 6.9 5.4 19.3 29.7 8.9 21.6 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 1999 1.6 3.6 7.3 8.5 6.2 17.9 29.4 7.5 17.8 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2000 0.8 2.4 4.9 7.7 5.3 19.0 29.1 8.5 22.3 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2001 0.8 2.5 5.4 7.9 7.5 15.8 30.3 8.7 21.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2002 1.2 2.4 5.3 8.5 7.7 17.0 30.8 8.5 18.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2003 1.3 2.6 5.6 10.0 7.8 12.6 30.7 9.5 19.9 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2004 1.2 2.8 6.1 9.3 6.9 13.4 29.6 9.3 21.5 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2005 1.6 2.7 5.9 8.6 7.5 14.5 28.6 9.0 21.6 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2006 1.6 2.8 5.3 5.7 7.7 14.6 30.5 9.3 22.4 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2007 1.7 3.0 5.6 6.0 7.3 13.3 28.8 10.3 24.0 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2008 1.6 2.7 5.8 6.2 6.6 16.3 28.8 9.7 22.2 0.0 100.0
LATpct: 2009 1.6 2.8 4.9 7.7 3.6 15.4 30.8 10.1 23.1 0.0 100.0
DecPct: 2009 1.3 2.7 5.5 7.8 6.8 15.2 29.8 9.3 21.7 0.0 100.0
For COUNTRY CODE: 1
[chiefio@tubularbells analysis]$
OK. Thermometers are wandering all over the place. What does this do to the temperature record? Well, the good news seems to be that the place is so hot all over that it doesn’t matter all that much which bits are covered and which are left naked.
We get a pretty darned stable temperature series out of all that change. From about 1900 on, when we get some semblance of coverage, the annual averages run about 21C to 23C with no distinct trend. The other big thing I notice about this chart is that it’s just consistently Very Hot! All the time. Everywhere. Guess straddling the equator will do that to you.
And while we do have a bit of a drop off in coverage at the 1989 – 1992 range, it isn’t nearly as much as other places have had on a percentage basis. And frankly, given all the other ebb and flow of thermometers in Africa, I’m not sure it matters much what was done then.
Africa - Temperature and Thermometers by Year
And here is the listing of temperatures by year.
[chiefio@tubularbells analysis]$ cat Temps.1.yrs.GAT
Thermometer Records, Average of Monthly Data and Yearly Average
by Year Across Month, with a count of thermometer records in that year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAR JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC YR COUNT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1880 11.3 14.2 15.0 17.8 19.2 23.1 26.7 25.8 23.9 21.1 16.9 14.0 19.1 20
1881 16.0 15.2 17.5 18.9 18.9 21.9 26.2 25.5 23.3 19.9 16.1 12.6 19.3 22
1882 11.8 12.3 14.2 16.8 19.9 22.4 24.1 24.3 21.1 19.0 15.5 12.0 17.8 22
1883 11.6 12.1 13.5 15.4 18.7 21.5 24.1 23.1 22.1 18.1 14.8 11.2 17.2 21
1884 11.7 14.7 13.8 15.9 17.9 20.0 23.2 24.7 21.9 17.6 14.6 11.8 17.3 21
1885 13.2 16.0 15.3 15.6 19.4 21.0 23.0 24.3 21.8 18.8 17.1 15.7 18.4 22
1886 14.1 15.2 17.0 18.1 19.6 22.2 23.6 23.3 22.4 19.7 16.1 15.0 18.9 26
1887 14.1 14.0 16.4 16.7 19.8 22.2 23.8 24.1 23.0 19.2 17.3 15.3 18.8 27
1888 13.3 13.6 15.8 17.9 19.5 22.3 24.5 23.5 22.7 19.5 16.3 14.6 18.6 33
1889 13.3 14.3 15.0 17.0 19.7 22.0 24.7 24.8 22.5 20.1 16.5 12.7 18.6 38
1890 13.8 14.9 15.7 17.4 19.7 22.5 24.3 24.8 22.1 19.3 16.1 14.0 18.7 37
1891 12.2 12.8 15.5 18.1 19.7 22.6 25.4 24.5 23.1 20.6 17.1 14.1 18.8 38
1892 15.5 16.9 18.2 18.6 20.4 23.7 25.0 24.7 23.3 21.1 18.1 16.3 20.2 45
1893 14.9 16.0 18.1 19.0 21.0 23.1 24.4 24.1 23.9 21.3 18.7 15.7 20.0 42
1894 15.2 15.6 17.3 18.5 20.3 22.6 24.0 24.3 23.3 21.6 18.9 16.7 19.9 44
1895 16.3 18.5 18.4 20.2 20.7 22.2 24.4 23.9 23.2 22.1 19.9 17.5 20.6 46
1896 16.2 17.0 18.2 18.8 20.4 23.1 24.8 24.0 23.8 20.8 17.9 16.8 20.1 46
1897 16.1 17.5 19.5 20.3 21.4 22.9 24.4 24.5 23.3 21.8 19.3 17.3 20.7 51
1898 16.9 17.2 18.4 19.0 20.9 22.8 23.5 23.6 22.9 21.6 19.4 16.9 20.3 58
1899 17.4 18.3 18.6 20.2 20.9 21.4 23.2 23.9 23.7 22.5 19.6 17.1 20.6 57
1900 17.4 19.4 19.1 19.7 20.4 21.1 22.2 22.6 22.8 22.0 19.5 18.1 20.4 53
1901 17.6 18.5 19.6 20.7 20.2 22.2 22.7 23.2 22.4 20.5 19.1 17.4 20.3 61
1902 17.7 19.6 19.5 20.8 20.8 22.1 23.7 23.8 23.1 21.5 19.8 18.0 20.9 66
1903 17.7 17.8 19.1 20.2 21.2 21.5 22.4 23.2 22.6 21.6 18.7 17.7 20.3 63
1904 17.0 18.3 19.1 20.3 21.7 22.7 23.5 23.8 23.1 22.2 19.9 18.3 20.8 68
1905 17.8 17.8 19.5 21.3 21.6 22.8 23.5 23.5 23.5 22.4 20.8 18.5 21.1 72
1906 18.9 19.0 20.4 21.0 22.1 22.9 23.3 23.4 23.4 22.4 20.7 18.7 21.3 78
1907 18.0 18.6 19.9 20.9 21.9 22.9 23.1 23.5 23.1 22.1 20.4 18.8 21.1 83
1908 18.2 18.5 20.1 20.9 23.0 23.2 23.8 24.1 23.8 22.5 20.3 18.4 21.4 73
1909 17.8 18.6 20.6 21.0 22.3 22.7 23.3 23.7 23.3 22.6 21.0 19.2 21.3 74
1910 18.1 19.4 19.8 21.8 22.1 23.1 23.9 23.9 23.1 22.9 20.5 19.0 21.5 88
1911 18.5 19.5 20.5 21.7 22.4 23.0 23.5 24.0 23.7 23.3 21.5 20.4 21.8 96
1912 19.6 20.7 21.6 22.4 23.8 23.5 23.9 23.9 23.0 22.9 21.0 19.1 22.1 92
1913 19.0 19.3 20.2 21.7 22.6 23.6 24.4 24.6 24.2 23.0 20.8 18.8 21.8 99
1914 18.7 19.4 21.2 22.1 23.3 23.7 24.1 24.1 24.2 23.0 21.4 19.2 22.0 100
1915 21.3 21.8 23.1 23.4 23.5 23.5 23.1 23.8 23.9 24.1 23.3 22.0 23.1 78
1916 20.6 22.2 23.4 23.7 23.4 23.3 23.1 23.0 23.4 23.6 22.9 21.7 22.9 73
1917 21.6 22.2 22.9 23.1 22.7 22.8 22.8 22.8 23.3 23.2 22.9 21.4 22.6 73
1918 20.7 21.7 22.8 23.0 23.1 22.6 22.8 22.9 24.0 24.2 23.2 21.7 22.7 74
1919 21.7 22.4 23.2 23.3 22.5 22.6 23.1 23.6 23.6 24.0 22.7 20.9 22.8 78
1920 20.8 20.8 21.8 23.0 22.7 22.9 22.9 23.4 23.4 23.6 22.2 20.8 22.4 82
1921 19.8 20.5 21.3 22.4 22.6 22.8 23.1 23.3 23.7 23.4 22.1 20.7 22.1 91
1922 20.7 21.3 22.2 23.4 23.0 23.2 22.9 23.5 23.9 23.8 22.9 21.0 22.6 90
1923 20.8 21.3 22.3 22.5 22.7 22.8 22.8 23.3 23.6 24.0 22.9 21.2 22.5 104
1924 20.8 21.3 22.7 22.8 23.4 23.5 22.8 23.2 23.9 23.6 21.9 20.8 22.6 110
1925 19.2 20.5 21.6 22.5 22.8 22.8 22.6 23.4 23.7 23.5 22.3 21.3 22.2 114
1926 20.8 21.9 22.5 23.2 22.9 22.8 22.4 22.9 24.0 24.0 22.5 20.7 22.5 121
1927 21.2 20.8 22.1 22.7 23.0 22.8 22.9 23.4 24.1 24.1 22.7 21.4 22.6 119
1928 20.9 20.8 22.2 22.9 22.4 22.8 22.5 23.1 24.1 23.9 22.5 20.8 22.4 118
1929 20.3 21.1 22.0 22.4 22.9 22.8 22.6 22.8 23.9 23.6 22.5 20.4 22.3 120
1930 20.2 20.9 21.8 22.4 22.2 22.3 22.6 23.1 23.5 23.8 22.7 21.6 22.3 123
1931 20.4 20.7 22.9 22.6 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.9 23.7 23.6 21.7 19.9 22.4 133
1932 19.6 20.2 21.4 22.2 22.4 22.7 22.3 22.9 23.8 23.7 22.0 20.3 22.0 133
1933 20.1 21.2 21.8 22.5 22.7 22.6 22.4 23.1 23.3 23.7 22.0 20.1 22.1 140
1934 19.4 19.6 21.1 22.5 22.7 23.0 23.2 23.7 23.5 23.4 22.3 20.7 22.1 138
1935 19.6 19.8 21.4 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.8 22.7 23.8 23.4 21.8 20.6 21.9 134
1936 20.5 21.4 22.0 22.6 22.2 22.3 23.0 23.2 23.3 23.1 21.7 19.8 22.1 139
1937 20.0 21.3 22.1 22.6 22.4 22.6 22.6 23.5 23.7 23.5 22.8 20.5 22.3 137
1938 19.7 20.0 20.9 22.3 22.4 22.7 22.7 23.2 23.6 23.4 21.3 19.9 21.8 143
1939 19.7 20.1 20.8 21.5 21.9 21.7 22.4 22.6 23.1 23.3 21.4 20.3 21.6 142
1940 19.8 20.8 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.2 21.3 22.4 22.8 22.5 21.1 20.3 21.4 143
1941 21.0 22.0 22.7 23.3 22.8 22.4 22.4 23.1 23.2 23.8 22.4 20.8 22.5 173
1942 20.9 22.0 22.8 23.2 22.9 22.8 22.2 22.7 23.3 23.5 22.8 21.3 22.5 169
1943 21.0 21.3 22.1 22.6 22.4 21.7 22.0 22.3 23.0 23.8 22.3 21.5 22.2 180
1944 20.7 21.2 22.2 23.2 22.8 22.9 22.6 23.3 23.5 23.8 22.5 21.3 22.5 175
1945 20.6 21.4 22.1 23.5 23.0 22.4 22.5 22.9 23.6 23.3 22.6 21.1 22.4 188
1946 20.9 21.5 22.5 23.0 22.9 22.5 22.2 22.5 23.7 23.7 22.7 21.2 22.4 197
1947 20.6 22.2 23.1 23.2 22.8 22.5 22.1 22.8 23.2 23.6 22.5 21.0 22.5 201
1948 20.3 21.0 21.5 21.9 22.4 21.5 21.6 22.0 22.4 22.8 21.3 20.2 21.6 210
1949 20.5 20.5 22.0 22.5 22.5 22.3 21.8 22.4 23.4 23.2 22.3 20.9 22.0 234
1950 20.5 21.4 22.7 23.6 23.0 23.1 22.5 22.3 23.3 23.1 22.2 21.2 22.4 252
1951 21.5 22.4 24.1 24.6 24.5 24.0 23.3 23.6 24.2 24.1 22.9 21.3 23.4 379
1952 21.9 22.7 24.2 24.6 24.4 24.2 23.4 23.4 23.9 24.3 23.1 22.4 23.5 394
1953 22.4 23.2 23.9 24.7 24.7 23.7 23.2 23.3 23.9 24.3 23.4 21.9 23.5 403
1954 21.8 23.0 24.1 24.4 24.6 23.6 22.7 22.9 23.9 24.2 23.5 22.1 23.4 420
1955 22.3 23.3 24.1 24.4 24.7 23.8 23.3 23.3 23.7 24.1 23.4 21.8 23.5 429
1956 21.7 23.0 23.8 24.3 24.3 23.6 22.9 23.0 23.6 23.7 23.1 21.6 23.2 430
1957 21.4 22.6 23.8 24.3 24.3 23.7 23.4 23.5 24.2 24.1 23.7 22.3 23.4 432
1958 22.5 23.0 24.4 25.1 24.7 23.5 22.9 23.2 24.1 24.1 23.7 22.6 23.7 432
1959 21.9 22.4 24.0 24.6 24.3 23.7 23.1 22.9 23.5 23.7 23.1 21.9 23.3 433
1960 21.8 23.1 23.5 23.8 23.6 23.0 22.2 23.0 23.4 24.0 23.0 22.5 23.1 479
1961 22.2 22.4 23.8 24.4 24.6 23.6 22.6 22.6 23.5 23.7 22.8 21.6 23.2 485
1962 21.8 22.7 24.0 24.3 24.0 23.1 22.8 22.9 23.7 24.2 23.6 22.2 23.3 483
1963 22.5 23.4 23.7 24.1 23.7 23.5 23.0 23.1 24.2 24.0 23.2 22.3 23.4 496
1964 22.1 23.2 24.7 24.3 24.1 23.0 22.3 22.5 23.2 23.6 22.8 21.8 23.1 498
1965 21.8 22.8 23.8 23.8 24.0 23.0 22.9 23.0 23.6 23.7 22.9 21.8 23.1 496
1966 22.4 22.9 23.8 24.3 24.3 23.9 23.4 23.4 23.7 24.0 23.2 22.0 23.4 503
1967 21.4 22.6 23.4 24.2 24.2 23.4 22.6 23.0 23.5 23.8 22.8 21.6 23.0 500
1968 21.4 22.5 23.3 23.8 24.1 23.0 23.0 23.5 23.9 24.0 23.0 22.2 23.1 505
1969 21.9 23.5 24.8 24.5 24.5 23.9 23.1 23.4 24.0 24.0 23.3 22.1 23.6 511
1970 22.4 23.2 24.0 24.7 24.4 23.9 23.1 23.3 23.8 23.8 22.8 21.5 23.4 511
1971 21.5 22.6 24.0 24.4 24.3 23.7 23.0 22.8 23.4 23.5 22.4 21.3 23.1 466
1972 21.8 22.6 23.8 24.4 24.0 23.4 23.2 23.2 24.1 24.2 22.8 22.0 23.3 458
1973 22.1 23.5 24.3 24.8 24.7 23.9 23.5 23.2 23.8 24.0 22.5 21.5 23.5 458
1974 21.3 22.6 23.7 24.3 24.2 23.7 22.5 22.8 23.2 23.7 22.6 21.5 23.0 455
1975 21.4 22.6 23.6 24.3 24.1 23.4 22.6 22.6 23.2 23.4 22.7 21.6 23.0 457
1976 21.4 22.6 23.6 24.1 23.7 23.0 22.4 22.4 23.2 23.2 22.6 22.0 22.8 449
1977 22.3 23.0 23.9 24.6 24.2 23.4 22.7 22.8 23.5 23.6 22.8 21.9 23.2 436
1978 22.0 23.4 24.0 24.0 23.9 22.9 22.3 22.9 23.2 23.3 22.3 21.9 23.0 443
1979 22.2 23.2 23.8 24.3 24.0 23.0 22.4 22.9 23.4 23.7 22.6 21.2 23.1 431
1980 21.9 22.7 23.7 24.2 23.7 23.1 22.4 22.9 23.3 23.4 22.5 20.9 22.9 433
1981 20.9 21.9 23.5 23.6 23.0 22.2 21.7 21.7 22.4 22.8 22.0 21.4 22.3 409
1982 21.7 22.4 23.1 23.1 22.8 22.2 21.5 21.7 23.0 22.7 21.5 21.0 22.2 377
1983 20.8 22.6 23.5 23.9 23.0 22.5 22.2 22.2 23.0 23.2 22.4 20.9 22.5 373
1984 21.2 22.4 23.5 23.3 22.9 21.9 21.9 22.2 22.3 22.7 21.9 20.8 22.2 366
1985 21.3 22.1 22.7 23.1 22.5 22.1 21.5 22.1 22.3 22.6 22.6 20.5 22.1 361
1986 21.0 22.4 22.9 23.6 23.6 22.4 21.9 22.0 22.9 22.8 21.7 20.6 22.3 359
1987 21.2 22.4 23.6 24.4 24.6 23.8 23.9 23.8 24.2 23.7 22.6 21.6 23.3 366
1988 21.5 22.4 24.3 24.7 24.4 23.5 23.7 23.6 23.6 23.2 22.4 20.7 23.2 361
1989 20.0 21.3 23.0 23.3 24.0 23.0 22.7 22.9 23.6 23.1 22.3 21.9 22.6 356
1990 22.3 23.1 23.7 24.4 23.7 23.0 22.2 23.3 24.5 24.1 22.4 20.6 23.1 346
1991 20.6 21.8 23.4 22.7 23.0 24.1 21.7 22.9 24.7 23.3 19.3 18.1 22.1 339
1992 18.7 21.1 22.2 22.5 24.4 23.9 23.0 23.4 24.0 23.1 20.3 19.6 22.2 280
1993 20.5 19.9 21.5 23.9 24.1 24.3 24.2 24.7 23.7 23.9 21.4 19.3 22.6 294
1994 20.4 21.1 22.5 23.2 25.3 24.3 24.1 24.4 24.2 23.7 23.0 20.6 23.1 293
1995 20.2 21.7 23.1 24.0 24.8 24.4 23.2 24.1 24.0 24.3 21.8 22.2 23.2 252
1996 21.5 22.9 23.5 23.5 24.7 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.3 22.8 20.8 20.5 23.1 283
1997 20.4 21.1 22.0 23.5 24.9 25.0 24.7 24.9 24.2 23.9 22.1 20.6 23.1 272
1998 19.5 22.7 23.5 24.8 24.8 25.1 24.9 25.0 24.8 23.7 22.2 19.4 23.4 270
1999 20.0 20.0 23.4 23.8 25.2 25.8 25.4 25.2 24.7 23.7 21.4 19.1 23.1 259
2000 18.1 20.4 22.5 23.9 24.7 24.8 25.1 25.0 24.8 22.5 21.8 20.3 22.8 247
2001 20.5 20.8 23.9 23.6 21.4 24.9 24.2 25.1 24.9 25.0 22.5 19.2 23.0 241
2002 18.5 19.9 22.9 24.1 24.5 25.0 24.9 25.0 25.0 23.7 22.1 20.2 23.0 247
2003 19.7 20.7 23.0 24.5 25.3 25.7 24.9 24.6 24.9 24.9 22.8 20.1 23.4 231
2004 19.7 21.3 22.0 24.0 24.1 24.8 25.6 26.2 24.5 24.4 21.4 20.1 23.2 247
2005 19.0 21.3 22.9 24.2 25.2 25.0 25.9 25.6 25.4 24.0 21.7 19.5 23.3 255
2006 17.2 20.8 22.2 23.9 24.9 25.1 25.6 25.1 24.8 24.4 21.2 18.5 22.8 246
2007 19.1 20.6 20.5 23.1 24.8 26.1 25.9 25.7 25.0 23.8 20.8 19.2 22.9 233
2008 18.2 19.8 22.3 23.8 24.8 25.7 26.3 25.9 25.0 24.1 21.5 21.1 23.2 257
21.1 22.1 23.2 23.8 23.8 23.3 22.9 23.2 23.6 23.6 22.4 21.2 22.9
19.5 20.5 21.6 22.4 22.8 23.1 23.3 23.5 23.6 23.0 21.4 19.8
For Country Code 1
[chiefio@tubularbells analysis]$
The one thing that I think is pretty darned clear from those Annual Averages is that if there is CO2 driven Warming, especially with a “tipping point”, it is not happening in Africa!.
I see no way to reconcile the steady heat of Africa with a runaway greenhouse scenario.
Musings from the Chiefio 
What would Africa look like without South Africa. Cooler places like Durban and Cape Town may be influencing the overall picture? Particularly the early portion.
REPLY: “So, south up to 30S band. Yeah, in 1850 they are a “big deal” but by the time GIStemp “begins time” in 1880 they are diminished in impact. For the recent 1/2 century or so they are in the “single digit” percentages. Don’t think they are very important during the “lots of CO2” time. Basically, you can look at the “by years across latitude” chart and see their impact in any year. Kind of an interesting way to see history… -ems”
Another graph for you