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I am noticing more and more that metorologists are using the term normal incorrectly. For instance, it has been in the 80s here for the past week, a couple of degrees above our 30 year average. Some meteorologists have repeated day after day that the temperature is way above "normal." Average does not equal normal. Average equals all the readings for a particular date over 30 years averaged out. There may not have even been a year with a temperature that equaled the average for the date. So, in essence, it would seem that there is no such thing as normal when it comes to temperature.
I always took this term to be a substitute for mode, not average. I never bothered to check it out as it was not that important to me statistically, but normality in this instance to me would be the most common temperature for that timeframe.
I guess I never really thought of it, but since you brought it up~it really isn't correct. When they say "normal", I always just thought of "average", but I agree with you that they are really not the same thing. I know that in my area there is no such thing as normal weather.
You're lucky that you've been above average. We've been WAY below for a huge part of our winter. Earlier yesterday (Wed) I checked the forecast for Thurs. Our high is supposed to be 35 and our average is 49.
Except in summer, "way above average" would probably mean 15-20 F higher than average.
In summer, 10-15 F could make it, but anything less than 10 F above average you'd have people laughing at that comment.
In any given week, (outside of summer) it's typical here for the difference in daytime highs to vary 15 F and equal to more variation in overnight lows.
I am noticing more and more that metorologists are using the term normal incorrectly. For instance, it has been in the 80s here for the past week, a couple of degrees above our 30 year average. Some meteorologists have repeated day after day that the temperature is way above "normal." Average does not equal normal. Average equals all the readings for a particular date over 30 years averaged out. There may not have even been a year with a temperature that equaled the average for the date. So, in essence, it would seem that there is no such thing as normal when it comes to temperature.
What do you all think?
Here is a link from NOAA regarding normals and what they mean at least from the climate perspective.
I had a little trouble understanding exactly what you meant in the post. I work as a forecaster and when we say the normal high for this date is xx and the normal low is xx....That value is taken as the 30 year average or adding up all highs for a particular date and then dividing by 30. That is what is "normal" or average for that date. So in my thinking average and normal is the same thing at least in how we present it in climate reports.
So in essence for today in the Grand Forks ND area....the normal high today is 40. Using 1971-2000 30 year period...taking all high temps for 3/27 and dividing by 30 gives us 40 degrees. Our actual high today was 32 degrees...so in my mind it is correct to say that today was below normal or below average.
I dont even know if what I wrote makes sense to me
I don't care for the term "normal" when referring to temperatures. It makes it sound as if the weather is horribly out of whack, and we're all doomed. Trying to avoid the inevitable Al Gore jokes, it sounds a bit alarmist.
yeah, the National Weather Service observe over a long period of time, like 30 years...and I'm surprised it was 30 years...I thought it was a longer period than that!
I am noticing more and more that metorologists are using the term normal incorrectly. For instance, it has been in the 80s here for the past week, a couple of degrees above our 30 year average. Some meteorologists have repeated day after day that the temperature is way above "normal." Average does not equal normal. Average equals all the readings for a particular date over 30 years averaged out. There may not have even been a year with a temperature that equaled the average for the date. So, in essence, it would seem that there is no such thing as normal when it comes to temperature.
What do you all think?
Yes !! They do the same here in Phoenix. 'The normal for today is..' blah, blah, blah. Or they will say the temp, maybe it's 107 and then say it's well above our normal, we should be at 105. WHAT? Only 2 degrees? Even one-degree & they will say we are above our normal for today.
However - when we are - because of a storm, maybe 6 degrees below average, they will just say it's slightly below normal. Especially in winter! And if we have crappy rainy & 8 degrees below a December average of 67 degrees - they will say: 'Oh, but just wait - those 100 degree days are coming! Isn't it refreshing to have a nice, cool rainy day? Huh? In winter? 67 and sunny is cool and refreshing enough!
It is the 30 year average that they harp on as being 'normal'. Um, no, it is the average temp for that particular day. So - the correct way to give it to the public: 'Today's high temperature was 88 degrees, which is close to the seasonal average of 86 degrees.' Some days will be 2-4 degrees above the average point, and some days will be 2-4 degrees below that point. BUT - ALL of the days will be 'normal'.
They often will even say - even one degree off - 'We should be at.. such & such temp for this date'!
I am noticing more and more that metorologists are using the term normal incorrectly. For instance, it has been in the 80s here for the past week, a couple of degrees above our 30 year average. Some meteorologists have repeated day after day that the temperature is way above "normal." Average does not equal normal. Average equals all the readings for a particular date over 30 years averaged out. There may not have even been a year with a temperature that equaled the average for the date. So, in essence, it would seem that there is no such thing as normal when it comes to temperature.
What do you all think?
To me, normal is EVERYTHING. If there is no sense of what is normal for a region, then you might as well celebrate Christmas in August & Thanksgiving in February. To me, if the "normal" or "average" for that day over 30 years is, say, 83 degrees, it should be 83 degrees, plus or minus 3-4 degrees or so, but it sure as heck ought not be (say) 59 or 100. Ever. Not even one time in 23,000 years.
Such is one reason why I get so mad during the spring. I like warm weather, not hot but warm, and with spring here I look forward to the cold being over and done with, and I get extremely angry when it keeps having winter flashbacks well into April or even May, with it being 55 one day and 85 the next during a time that the normal is 72. For it to snow or have an ice storm once spring is here is nothing short of blasphemy in my eyes. Schizophrenic temperatures that bear no resemblance to the norms/averages are the bane of my existence. I once even moved from NC to AZ almost solely for that reason.
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