Death Valley hits 54.4C - possibly highest ever reliably recorded temperature on Earth
17 August 2020, 12:03
Death Valley in California has hit 54.4C – possibly the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
The World Meteorological Organisation is verifying the temperature after the mercury hit 130F at Furnace Creek in the desert.
The all-time highest temperature reading was also recorded in the area, hitting 56.7C on July 10 1913.
🥵Yep it was HOT out there today...
— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) August 17, 2020
So hot in fact, that the PRELIMINARY high temperature @DeathValleyNPS was 130°F. If verified, this will be the hottest temperature officially verified since July of 1913. For more info...https://t.co/qFXcIVoPig#DeathValley #Climate #CAwx pic.twitter.com/lAl8NQDCyp
But the reliability of such old records has been questioned, and could make the latest temperature the hottest ever.
The US National Weather Service said in a statement: “Death Valley, California recorded high temperature of 130°F at 3:41 PM PDT on Sunday, August 16, 2020.
“This temperature was measured at Furnace Creek near the Visitors Center using a National Weather Service owned automated observation system.
“This observed high temperature is considered preliminary and not yet official.
WMO will verify the temperature of 130°F (54.4C) reported at Death Valley, California, on Sunday. This would be the hottest global temperature officially recorded since 1931. pic.twitter.com/AOaWHKWVKJ
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) August 17, 2020
“If verified, this will be the hottest temperature officially verified since July of 1913, also at Death Valley.
“As this is an extreme temperature event, the recorded temperature will need to undergo a formal review.”
