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New global temperature record set in California's Death Valley


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New global temperature record set in California's Death Valley

By Jonathan Allen and Kanishka Singh

 

2020-08-17T202534Z_1_LYNXNPEG7G1FO_RTROPTP_4_USA-WEATHER-EXTREME.JPG

An employee of Death Valley National Park poses next to an interpretive display showing the newly record breaking temperature in Death Valley National Park, U.S., August 16, 2020 in this picture obtained from social media. Picture taken August 16, 2020. CAROLINE ROHE/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

 

(Reuters) - The hottest air temperature recorded anywhere on the planet in at least a century, and possibly ever, was reached in Death Valley in California's Mojave Desert on Sunday afternoon where it soared to 130 Fahrenheit (54.4 Celsius).

 

An automated observation system run by the U.S. National Weather Service at Furnace Creek reported the record at 3:41 p.m. local time.

 

It was a dry heat: humidity fell to 7%. But it felt "insanely hot" all the same, according to meteorologist Daniel Berc, who is based in the NWS Las Vegas bureau and forecast that the heat wave would continue all week.

 

"It's literally like being in an oven," he said in a telephone interview. "Today is another day we could take another run at 130F."

 

A temperature of 134F (56.7C) was recorded in Death Valley in July 1913. Some meteorologists dispute the older record, however, with recent research pointing to the likelihood it was the result of observer error.

 

The hottest air temperature recorded anywhere on the planet in at least a century, and possibly ever, was reached in Death Valley in California's Mojave Desert on Sunday afternoon wh ere it soared to 130 Fahrenheit. Freddie Joyner has more.

 

"That's an official record until it's debunked through the scientific process and accepted by the World Meteorological Organization," Berc said.

 

The record comes as climate scientists warn of the dangers of a warming planet. Last month was the world's third-hottest July on record, and three of the hottest ever Julys all occurred within the last five years.

 

Sunday's temperature will undergo a formal review, Berc said. Technicians will check the thermometer out in Furnace Creek is working properly. The NWS will convene a so-called climate extremes committee to ensure there's no reason to doubt Sunday's data.

 

Only a couple of dozen people live in Furnace Creek, but the area is a popular tourist attraction.

 

Staff and guests at The Oasis hotel nearby were being urged to wear hats and sip water relentlessly while outside, according to general manager John Kukreja.

 

He tells guests that extreme heat does unexpected things to the body.

 

"You're going to sweat and the sweat's going to dry instantly and you're never going to know you actually felt hot," he said. "Your hair stands on end. It's almost like you feel like you're cold, like goosebumps."

 

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Jonathan Allen in New York; editing by Philippa Fletcher, Chizu Nomiyama and Mark Potter)

 

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-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-18
 
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Posted
55 minutes ago, scammed said:

according to this very same article, the record was set over 100 years ago.

this 'news' by the poster webfact stinks propaganda,

Yes, it's interesting that the old record off 134° is now considered unreliable, no?

 

". . . the older record, however, with recent research pointing to the likelihood it was the result of observer error."

 

Yeah, I'd like to know what evidence they came up with to claim it was an observer error.  When they use terms like "likelihood" it means they really don't know but just agree to nix that record (for their own purposes).  And who was doing that "recent research?"

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Posted

131 (55C)in Tunisia 1931, per wiki.... add higher humidity (fair guess if Death Valley was only at 7% humidity).... But you know, Make America Hottest Again thang

Posted
1 hour ago, Scott said:
1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, it's interesting that the old record off 134° is now considered unreliable, no?

 

". . . the older record, however, with recent research pointing to the likelihood it was the result of observer error."

 

Yeah, I'd like to know what evidence they came up with to claim it was an observer error.  When they use terms like "likelihood" it means they really don't know but just agree to nix that record (for their own purposes).  And who was doing that "recent research?"

The record was not nixed.  It stands.  Until it can be scientifically proven that it was an error, it will remain the record.  I believe it is stated in the OP.  

My apologies if I didn't make myself clear.  I wasn't suggesting that the old record was officially nixed, rather nixed by those meteorologists who are disputing that record.  The mere fact that they are disputing the record would throw it into the category of unreliable.  At least by those who believe in climate change.  They could point to that research to bolster any potential claim that the old record was faulty.

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Posted

The Americans did not like that the Guiness Book Of World Records showed the world's highest temperature on record as 57.8C in Libya in 1922, so they sort to discredited it in favour of their Death Valley. I worked in Libya for 6 years in Tripoli and in the Sahara Desert. In our Tripoli camp we had our own accurate weather station and this temperature was often reached in the summer. It felt like you were walking inside an oven at times and I used to check the temperature in the weather station regularly. For sure Libya would still hold the world record.

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Posted

Post and replies removed.   If you are going to post information which contradicts the story please supply a credible source.   Social Media, including You Tube videos are not credible sources.  

 

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Posted

One record setting event is not statistically significant. What is significant is the ratio of record setting warm temperatures to record setting cold temperatures. Since 2000, the global ratio of warm records to cold records is unprecedentedly high in favor of warm records. 

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Posted
6 hours ago, nausea said:

Fifty-four Celsius is pretty hot, but to put that into context, there are claims that the Germans, on their approach to Stalingrad, were encountering temperatures of 53 Celsius on the Russian steppes "in the sun". So maybe not so unusual.

That's why air temps are taken in the shade. You can fry an egg on the sidewalk in the sun. But the Germans were going from the frying pan into the fire and ice.

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Posted
2 hours ago, Estrada said:

The Americans did not like that the Guiness Book Of World Records showed the world's highest temperature on record as 57.8C in Libya in 1922, so they sort to discredited it in favour of their Death Valley. I worked in Libya for 6 years in Tripoli and in the Sahara Desert. In our Tripoli camp we had our own accurate weather station and this temperature was often reached in the summer. It felt like you were walking inside an oven at times and I used to check the temperature in the weather station regularly. For sure Libya would still hold the world record.

I think they just want to blame the Climate Change phenomena for everything that they can think off.

Scaremongering tactics 

Posted
6 minutes ago, DaLa said:

17 replies and Greta isn't here yet. Doesn't she care anymore?

But Trump has shown up once or twice , where would we be without Donald showing up , out in the cold that's where.

Posted
7 hours ago, Mac98 said:

That's why air temps are taken in the shade. You can fry an egg on the sidewalk in the sun. But the Germans were going from the frying pan into the fire and ice.

So the Death Valley temperatures were taken in the shade? Wow, that's hot. How do people survive in that kind of temperature? As for the Germans, karma I suppose. What goes around comes  around. 

Posted

I would imagine that the devices and the control that are used today are more precise than in the 20s. Not saying it couldn't have been higher, but you can see how the reading it self could be called into question.

Posted

The hottest I  have personally experienced was  48C in the shade and a low humidity level. Is an ok experience  because you are not sweat soaked. Step out into the direct sun and then yes  you  can feel the burn capacity. In Thailand the humidity combined  with  occasional high temps can be seriously uncomfortable in or out of the sun simply because it is difficult to lose  body heat by way of sweat.

Ironical solution is to use energy sources to cool down !

 

Posted
22 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

Stopped in Death Valley once during a high school trip, I feel no need to ever go back.

 

Only good thing about desert heat is lack of humidity.

Death Valley is a truly scenic place, but fraught with danger. Read this about a family of germans that didn’t survive an ‘adventure’ there:

 

https://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

 

I once planned a short cut from Bishop to Las Vegas through DV. My 30 mile to the inch map of the US showed a road; in the UK that would be a motorway. Not so, this short cut turned into a dirt track, and on turning a corner I was confronted by the track being covered in boulders from a rock fall.

 

I nearly got bedded down into soft sand in my 2 wheel drive cabriolet, completed a U turn and re-traced my journey back towards Bishop. In those 120 miles I only passed one other vehicle! Thankfully I survived and I mean ‘survived’ as I didn’t have a cell phone, water or any other ‘life saving’ necessities for that journey.

 

I keep meaning to go back with a 4×4 and survival gear to finish what I started.

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