Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Skies
I think you'll find it is real. Kalgoorlie and the surrounding goldfields had something similar happen last week, too. I'm pretty sure I recall it happening a few times in the last 5 years or so here in WA, but not every summer, though.
Aha - here is the tweet, from the 15th Oct:
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Michael Schultz ✔ @M_Schultz_10 My Oh My it's Dry! Mid afternoon in the #Goldfields. #Meekatharra 1% RH. Dew point -30. Temp 32. #Kalgoorlie 2% RH. Dew point -25. Temp 32.
Retweeted by The WA Weather Group
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Ok, so it's not -41, but it is 1% RH! hmm, and the next tweet says the dew point got as low as -35. So there you go.
The only time I've really seen the wet bulb go kooky is during cyclonic events when the constantly strong wind dries the wet bulb out and then it does give false readings. |
It's real indeed. All surrounding stations have been recording humidities of 2-3% at the same time. The Mildura weather station is a reliable, active station, There is no reason to doubt the readings. Most people elsewhere in the world would find these extreme low humidities to be the stuff of fiction, but no way, it is very real. The instrument is reliable and functioning correctly, after cutting out a few times, the humidity readings do show a valid observation compared to other stations in the area.
That -41.1C dewpoint is legit. The dewpoint / RH readings cut out because the air became so dry in those instances that the wet bulb thermometer failed. And going by the latest obs it keeps functioning after dropping out multiple times, that tells me that the instrument is working properly.
I am going to contact the BOM tomorrow, this could well be world record....