US National Weather Service Las Vegas Nevada
August 17 at 1:16 PM ·
There is much discussion recently on the Preliminary Record of 130° degrees Fahrenheit measured at @DeathValleyNPS on 16 August 2020. This post is intended to answer some questions regarding the measurement.
Death Valley recorded a high temperature of 129.9° F @ 3:41 PM PDT on Sun, Aug 16, 2020. If verified, it will be the hottest official temperature since July of 1913. More on this topic below. Keep reading.
This temperature was measured @DeathValleyNPS Visitors Center in Furnace Creek using a @NWS owned automated observation system. The elevation of this equipment is -193 feet below sea level
(193 ft below sea level)
The temperature sensor is rated up to 158° degrees F and measures at 0.018° degrees F accuracy. The equipment is maintained regularly by @NWSVegas Electronic Technicians. Preliminary findings indicate it was in proper working condition at the time of the observation.
This high temperature is considered preliminary pending a formal review. A Climate Extremes Committee of experts will be formed to verify the validity of the 130° F reading. This process will take some time. An announcement will be once it is completed.
If validate the 130° F yesterday would tie for the 3rd most reliably measured, all-time global high temperature and will be the hottest temperature officially verified since July of 1913, also at Death Valley.
#1 - 134°F, July 10th, 1913
#2 - 131°F -July 13th, 1913
#3 - 130°F -July 12th, 1913
130°F -August 16th, 2020*
The observations from 1913 were also recorded at Furnace Creek (formerly Greenland Ranch). It is important to stress that the above-listed records (other than yesterday’s recording) are considered official World Meteorological Organization World Records.
We are in the midst of a long-duration extreme heat event. Another run at 130°+ temperatures in Death Valley remains possible
You can track real-time observation & forecasts at
@NWSVegas Death Valley Recreation Page.
Here: http://t.ly/Kt2A
zippetydude wrote:So...if it's normally say 5 degrees hotter there than any other local area, and one day we find it's 126 in Palm Desert, it might be fun to go over for a brief (!) time and measure the temperature to see if it's actually in excess of 130.
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