Pirate's Cove

And the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration confirms it (until they play with their data and republish, of course)

The average June-August 2009 summer temperature for the contiguous United States was below average – the 34th coolest on record, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. August was also below the long-term average. The analysis is based on records dating back to 1895.

Some highlights

• For the 2009 summer, the average temperature of 71.7 degrees F was 0.4 degree F below the 20th Century average. The 2008 average summer temperature was 72.7 degrees F.
• The Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota region experienced its sixth coolest summer on record. Only the Northwest averaged above normal temperatures.
• The average 2009 August temperature of 72.2 degrees F was 0.6 degree F below the 20th Century average. Last year’s August temperature was 73.2 degrees F.
• Temperatures were below normal in the Midwest, Plains, and parts of the south. Above-normal temperatures dominated the eastern seaboard, areas in the southwest, and in the extreme northwest.
• Several northeastern states were much above normal for August, including Delaware and New Jersey (eighth warmest), Maine (ninth), and Rhode Island and Connecticut (10th). In contrast, below-normal temperatures were recorded for Missouri and Kansas.

That last one is interesting. It confirms that Mother Nature, ie, the weather, does what it wants. Especially since

A recurring upper level trough held the June-August temperatures down in the central states, where Michigan experienced its fifth, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota their seventh, Nebraska its eighth, and Iowa its ninth coolest summer. By contrast, Florida had its fourth warmest summer, while Washington and Texas experienced their eighth and ninth warmest, respectively.

Weather creates climate. Climate is simply the averages of what weather creates. In Raleigh, it was warmer than average. We had 22 days above max temperature, and 7 below. For mean temperature, 23 above and 2 below. Overall, it was about 2 degrees warmer in Raleigh for August. Why? Nature. City life. Lots of cloud cover at night, so, low radiational cooling (almost ever night was above average, even on days when the temp was below normal.) Other areas of the country were the exact opposite. Such is nature.

Meanwhile, Marc Morano of Climate Depot continues to beat the Washington Post’s Andrew Freedman like a rented mule. Freedman has chickened out on an actual debate with Morano. Washington Post meteorologist Matt Rogers has also declared his skepticism (same article.)

French folks are a wee bit pissed off over carbon trading that will increase many power costs.

Lord Stern states that economic expansion must be halted to stop AGW. More proof that these climate alarmists want to bring us back to the 15th century.