Dear Editor:

Little has changed after another year of global warming headlines. Maine’s record high temperature of 105°F, set in North Bridgton on July 10, 1911, is now one hundred and eleven years old. Thirteen towns and cities in Maine currently have high temperature records of 100 degrees and above. Seven of the records were set in 1975. The six remaining highs were set in 1897,1911 (2), 1935, 1955, and the latest, in 1988. The Maine.gov website states that the “record hottest year in Maine” was 1913 with an average temperature of 45.65°F and the “record coldest year in Maine” was 1904 with an average temperature of 38.44°F. Both the hottest year and coldest year records are over 100 years old.

Thirty-four states (68%) still have record highs more than fifty years old. Only four states have set record highs in the last 20 years. Low temperature records also do not support the often-stated extremes of global warming alarmists. Thirteen states have record lows over 100 years old. Only 3 states, Maine included, have set record lows in the last 20 years. The United States is not unique, A review of temperature records in world capitals shows Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America with some record highs set over 100 years ago. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Divides the world into 11 regions for recording “highest temperature.” Six of the records are older than 50 years and two of the records, North and South America, are over 100 years old.

It is important to note that there is a certification process for recognized temperature records. Headline stories, for the most part, do not receive any type of rigorous review and are unreliable from a scientific standpoint. To those who say, “follow the science,” I would caution them not to confuse headlines and sound bites with science but rather, to “follow the data.” Taken by itself, the data looks unremarkable.

Joe Grant

Wiscasset