Summers in the US have gotten much less extreme since the 1930s, with only half as many 100ºF readings as eighty years ago. The current year had the second fewest 100ºF readings on record, just behind 2004, only only one seventh as many as 1936.
Index of /pub/data/ghcn/daily/hcn/
It should be noted that this metric is not subject to adjustment via TOBS or any of the other phony adjustments which NOAA does, and shows pretty clearly that US summer afternoons are getting cooler.
Steven, would the diminishing numbers have anything to do with the decimation of the number of stations? I’m not saying there are more or less 100° days, just that the measurement system may have changed.
http://i44.tinypic.com/23vjjug.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/14b6tqo.jpg
There are more stations now than in 1930
The majority of GHCN stations occurred in highe altitudes, higher latitudes, mid continent, and rural locations. This left low altitude, urban, marine influenced stations as the majority.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58mDaK9bH5o&feature=player_embedded
Anyone who believes in catastrophic warming is totally delusional.