In response to reports that a part of Antarctica recently reached a record high temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit, some media outlets descended into climate alarmism as they sloppily reported the findings.
But, as pointed out at ClimateDepot, climate skeptic Jim Steele this week wrote up a piece debunking claims that the occurrence is a sign of global warming, and even cited studies suggesting Antarctica has actually been cooling for decades.
MSNBC host Katy Tur deserves special attention as she was the most inaccurate in reporting the findings because she mixed up Fahrenheit and Celsius degrees measures. On Friday afternoon, Tur picked up on the 65 degree Fahrenheit reading from Antarctica, and then wrongly claimed that the previous record was just "17.5 degrees," presumably meaning Fahrenheit:
KATY TUR: The U.N. Weather Agency is reporting that a research base on Antarctica's northern tip is reporting a temperature of nearly 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If confirmed, that would be a record high for the notoriously frigid tundra. The previous record was 17.5 degrees. For reference, it is currently 45 degrees here in New York City. It is warmer today in Antarctica than it is in New York City.
In fact, the previous record had been about 64 degrees Fahrenheit. The 17.5 degree number was the temperature expressed in degrees Celsius.
On the same day's NBC Nightly News, correspondent Kathy Park worked a reference to Antarctica into a report about winter weather in the U.S.: " A very different scene in Antarctica where the temperature climbed into the mid-60s, a record high, stoking concerns over climate change."
On Saturday morning, MSNBC hosts Kendis Gibson, Lindsey Reiser and Cori Coffin picked up the story and brought aboard New York Times reporter Kendra Pierre-Louis to predictably claim the relatively high temperature was evidence of global warming.
And over on CNN, a report by correspondent Natasha Chen was run both in the early morning and in the afternoon. At 5:45 a.m., co-hosts Natalie Allen and George Howell intoned:
NATALIE ALLEN: Now, we want to turn to a disturbing development in Antarctica. This past Thursday, the continent reached its highest temperature ever recorded -- 65 degrees Fahrenheit -- that's over 18 degrees Celsius.
GEORGE HOWELL: We're talking Antarctica here. Scientists say that many of Antarctica's glaciers are melting because of global warming.
At 3:56 p.m., host Fredricka Whitfield set up the same report: "Climate activists are sounding the alarm after researchers measure the highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica." Chen hyped the findings as she began:
NATASHA CHEN: A chilling milestone for the planet -- a research base in Antarctica says it has recorded the hottest temperature on record for the continent. Scientists say a remote station in the Northwest tip near South America reached 65 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday -- almost a full degree higher than the previous record measured five years ago.
But, according to Steele's article, "Media's Horribly Dishonest Antarctica Propaganda," this part of Antarctica is in an area close to South America that is prone to being influenced by El Nino, and that there are studies indicating Antarctica is actually getting colder.
Relevant transcripts follow:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
February 7, 2020
2:54 p.m. Eastern
KATY TUR: The U.N. Weather Agency is reporting that a research base on Antarctica's northern tip is reporting a temperature of nearly 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If confirmed, that would be a record high for the notoriously frigid tundra. The previous record was 17.5 degrees. For reference, it is currently 45 degrees here in New York City. It is warmer today in Antarctica than it is in New York City.
(…)
NBC
NBC Nightly News
February 7, 2020
KATHY PARK: A very different scene in Antarctica where the temperature climbed into the mid-60s, a record high, stoking concerns over climate change.
(…)
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
February 8, 2020
6:51 a.m. Eastern
KENDIS GIBSON (before commercial break): Sounding the alarm as Antarctica's temperature is the hottest it's ever been.
CORI COFFIN: What does this mean for the rest of the world if things keep heating up at the South Pole?
(…)
COFFIN: Scientists are sounding the alarm this morning after the world's coldest continent set a record high temperature.
LINDSEY REISER: A part of Antarctica reached 65 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday, eclipsing a 63.5-degree reading from 2015. This map shows the anomaly tracked by the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine.
(…)
KENDRA PIERRE-LOUIS, NEW YORK TIMES: It's a climate signal, right? It's telling us that the models are right. It's telling us that the climate change -- i's telling us that everything that we've known to be happening for a while in the climate reports which is, if we don't do something to sort of rein in our greenhouse gas emissions, catastrophic things will happen. It's also not great for the animals that live in Antarctica.
CNN
CNN Newsroom
February 9, 2020
5:45 a.m. Eastern
NATALIE ALLEN: Now, we want to turn to a disturbing development in Antarctica. This past Thursday, the continent reached its highest temperature ever recorded -- 65 degrees Fahrenheit -- that's over 18 degrees Celsius.
GEORGE HOWELL: We're talking Antarctica here. Scientists say that many of Antarctica's glaciers are melting because of global warming.
(…)
CNN
CNN Newsroom
February 9, 2020
3:56 p.m. Eastern
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD: Climate activists are sounding the alarm after researchers measure the highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica. CNN's Natasha Chen has more on the climate concerns.
NATASHA CHEN: A chilling milestone for the planet -- a research base in Antarctica says it has recorded the hottest temperature on record for the continent. Scientists say a remote station in the Northwest tip near South America reached 65 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday -- almost a full degree higher than the previous record measured five years ago.
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