The western United States is currently experiencing heat waves that are severe enough to cause wildfires. In fact, temperatures in Death Valley, often referred to as the hottest spot in the world, nearly broke records.
On Sunday (11/7) afternoon local time, a thermometer at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center in the heart of Death Valley showed a temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit or 56.7 degrees Celsius.
But officials from the National Park Service say the number of thermometers is usually higher than the official number. When officials took the sidewalk temperature outside the visitor center on Sunday afternoon, the temperature showed 178 degrees Fahrenheit, or 81 degrees Celsius.
The temperatures in Death Valley have been getting hotter over the past weekend. The National Weather Service recorded temperatures in Death Valley hitting 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius) on Friday, and 129.4 degrees Fahrenheit (54.1 degrees Celsius).
Although the temperatures in Death Valley have been extreme in recent times, there are still many visitors who come to the national park area. Some just left their cars for a while to take pictures with their thermometers.
“I just came here to see how hot it was,” said visitor Richard Rader, who circled Death Valley on his bike.
If the temperature calculation in Death Valley on Sunday was accurate, it would match the record previously set at the same location in the summer of 1913.
On July 10, 1913, the temperature in Death Valley also reached 56.7 degrees Celsius. Many have criticized the record as inaccurate, but the World Meteorological Organization and NOAA have stated the calculation as an official figure.
This figure will also surpass the record set in Death Valley in August 2020 which reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit or 54.4 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures in Death Valley can be very extreme as they are influenced by several factors. This national park area is one of the lowest places in the world which is 86 meters below sea level and surrounded by mountains.
Not many plants are found in this place and the air is very dry. As a result, heat reflected from rocks and soil is trapped on the surface.
Climate change is also making heat waves in the US more extreme. Scientists from the World Weather Attribution say these heat waves would not have been possible without human -induced climate change.
In the face of these extreme temperatures, the National Weather Service is warning residents on the west coast of the U.S. to be careful as extreme heat can endanger health, especially children and the elderly.
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