Ravensworth DCNN2228 – Demonstrating the Greenhouse Effect?

54.47337 -1.78019 Met Office CIMO Assessed Class 5 Installed 1/11/2002 (likely due for closure)

Google Maps automatically orientates north/south. It took me hours to positively confirm that the red kite marker is the screen simply because I struggled to believe anyone would actually install one there.

Ravensworth Nurseries was a large independent Garden Centre and nursery complex a few miles north of Richmond in North Yorkshire. Starting from a small roadside operation the site steadily grew and in 2002 a large additional greenhouse area was constructed complete with the newly installed weather station.

To add some numbers for context, the greenhouse to the south is 70 metres x 60 metres equating to an artificially warmed area of 4,200 square metres. The greenhouse to the south west is a further 3,600 square metres. There are other large covered areas further south. The unenclosed screen lies next to a pathway and just 5.7 metres from the greenhouse wall. The 10 metre circled area below includes further general outside storage within an area further enclosed by a metre high berm to the north.

The berm seen from the road with the screen hidden from view in front of the greenhouses.

There really should not be any more to add as this weather station’s absurd siting rather condemns itself. However, I have to question the mentality and qualifications of those who originally installed it, authorised it, regularly inspected it and continue to take observations from it. Are they oblivious to the unquestionable indications that the readings cannot reflect the natural environment in any way?

Recently I discovered a potential answer to questions like these — whilst most operational staff at the Met Office are diligent, well qualified and sensible, there are a small minority who are anything but. Studying other blogs I have come across Met Office former staff who are perfectly willing to justify any and every Met Office weather site regardless of how appalling they may be. Worryingly these are the same people who seem to have been elevated to higher positions within the organisation. I have commented on reviews before of the dogmatic attitudes of some current staff who I have dealt with who openly feel aspects of “their science” cannot be questioned. It is becoming clearer to me from more of these sites that I investigate ( and bear in mind that everyone of them is a “Climate” reporting site) that a small number of the Met Office staff are actively and effectively corrupting the historic temperature record.

The codicil of this post is that, sadly, Ravensworth Nurseries recently ceased trading claiming current events as the cause. Subsequently plans have been submitted for housing to replace the nursery and it is likely to close the weather station. I doubt anyone should be sorry to see the back of such a poor screen but if it does go I will be carefully checking any replacement.