By Ricardo Roura
03 Jul 2024, 21:39 PM EDT
When extreme heat advisories are in effect for several regions of Southern California, Death Valley could break the record for the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
The current mark of the highest reliably measured temperature is 130 degrees F, set in Death Valley in August 2020 and July 2021according to Scientific American.
Death Valley is located in Death Valley National Parkwhich is shared by Inyo and San Bernardino counties in California and Esmeralda in Nevada.
Keep reading: The ghost lake that reappeared in Death Valley, one of the driest places on Earth
That record You could register again this Monday, July 8 or Tuesday, July 9with a probability of occurrence of between 20% and 25%.
Heat records are becoming more likely, while colder records are becoming less likely, as the Earth warms due to greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere by humans burning fossil fuels.
Although a temperature of 134 degrees F was recorded in 1913, problems with the instruments used cast doubt on those readings, causing the measurement of 130 degrees F is the widely accepted record.
Keep reading: Tarantula causes traffic accident in Death Valley National Park in California
As its name suggests, Death Valley is a stifling place and considered the hottest on Earth. due to its desert climate and local topography.
According to the National Park Service, during the summer, temperatures in Death Valley typically exceed 120 degrees F, even in the shade.
As the area’s dry climate is combined with normally clear skies, The sun heats the ground and this heat is radiated back into the air..
Keep readingDeath Valley almost breaks the record for the highest temperature on Earth
When the air rises, gets trapped in the steep walls of the valley, which is 280 feet below sea levelWhen it cools slightly, it begins to descend, compresses and heats up again, so Death Valley becomes a real hot air blowtorch.
High temperatures in Death Valley could soar beyond their usual levelswhich are already extreme, due to a heat dome that trapped scorching air across much of the southern part of the country, with extreme temperatures in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.
Keep readingAuthorities believe man died from extreme heat in Death Valley National Park
Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United Statescausing more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods combined.
If you are interested in witnessing the world record heat, it is recommended that you do not visit Death Valley, because the temperatures They will be so scorching that rescue helicopters will not be allowed to fly..
Keep reading:
· The extraordinary flood in Death Valley, an event that can occur “once in a thousand years”
Death Valley recorded 54.4º C on Sunday and would be the highest temperature recorded since 1913
Death Valley, the hottest place