By Paul Homewood
There is a highly coordinated effort taking place to persuade the public that the world’s climate is somehow out of control, with extreme weather everywhere and heatwaves on every continent.
One particular example is a supposed new record temperature in China:
BEIJING, July 17 (Reuters) – A remote township in China’s arid northwest endured temperatures of more than 52 Celsius (126 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, state media reported, setting a record for a country that was battling minus 50C weather just six months ago.
Temperatures at Sanbao township in Xinjiang’s Turpan Depression soared as high as 52.2C on Sunday, state-run Xinjiang Daily reported on Monday, with the record heat expected to persist at least another five days.
The Sunday temperature broke a previous record of 50.3C, measured in 2015 near Ayding in the depression, a vast basin of sand dunes and dried-up lakes more than 150 m (492 ft) below sea level.
I can’t see the heatwave in Beijing particularly affecting that family crossing the road! Looks like they’re having a nice day out.
But back to Sanbao, which sits in the Turpan Depression that is as much as 150m below sea level. According to Wikipedia, the Turpan has a harsh desert climate, and is counted as one of the Furnaces of China. It is believed to be the second or third deepest depression on Earth. it is also the hottest and driest area in China during the summer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turpan_Depression
https://www.communityheritagemaps.com/the-turpan-depression-a-look-at-chinas-lowest-point/
The Turpan is not just a furnace because of its desert climate, but also because it is so deep. Just as temperatures fall as altitude rises because of adiabatic cooling, temperatures rise as elevation goes down. The lapse rate would suggest about 1.5C at 500 feet below sea level.
Quite clearly, any record temperature set in the Turpan is meaningless and cannot be compared to other locations in China. It is merely the product of a micro climate.
There is also a second issue here. Sanbao has no official listing or any historical data, not according to KNMI at least. And the Shanghai Daily reported in 2010 that there were only three weather stations in the Turpan – Turpan City, Toksun and Dongkan, all at a much higher elevation than 150m below sea level.
In short we have no way of knowing whether it has been hotter in Saobao in the past, or whether the thermometer there is even properly sited and maintained.
You might just as well claim a record temperature next to the runway at Heathrow!
UPDATE
I have managed to track down the location of Sanbao. As best as I can zoom in, it appears to be around 130 feet below sea level.
https://mapcarta.com/31340260/Map
