Australia's top weather agency was accused of tampering with climate data at two locations, triggering a full review of temperature recording equipment and procedures by the country's Bureau of Meteorology, The Australian reported on Tuesday.
Three years ago the agency was charged with tampering with Australia's temperature record to make it appear as if temperatures had warmed over the decades, according to local media reports.
According to The Australian, bush meteorologist Lance Pidgeon informed the bureau about missing data after watching the minus 10.4C, or 13 degrees Fahrenheit, recording at Goulburn from July 2 disappear from the bureau's website.
"The temperature dropped to minus 10.4, stayed there for some time and then it changed to minus 10 (14F) and then it disappeared," Pidgeon said.
The bureau restored the original recording of minus 10.4C to its website after Pidgeon pointed out the discrepancy. A bureau spokeswoman said the low recording had been checked for "quality assurance" before being posted.
Andrew Johnson, the bureau's chief executive, called for a review and the immediate replacement of recording equipment at a number of undisclosed weather sites, The Australian said.
Johnson, though, dismissed claims that the failure to record the lower temperature had "been interpreted by a member of the community in such a way as to imply the bureau sought to manipulate the data record," The Australian said.
"I categorically reject this implication," Johnson said.
The Daily Caller reported that the country's Bureau of Meteorology had faced scrutiny before for similar manipulations. In 2014, the agency was charged with tampering with Australia's temperature record to make it appear as if temperatures had warmed over the decades.
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