As a blistering heatwave rolls across the Southwest, the temperature in Death Valley National Park in California may have set a new record on Sunday (August 16). An automated observation system at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center recorded a temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit, which the hottest it has even been in August.
"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," the National Weather Service said in a statement. "This would be the hottest global temperature officially recorded since 1931."
In 1913, a thermometer in Death Valley topped 134 degrees, which is the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth. While the record is in the Guinness Book of World Records, some experts dispute the reading, pointing out that other temperature readings in the area did not match the record. The next hottest temperature recorded occurred in July 1931, when the mercury reached 131 degrees in Kebili, Tunisia. That number is also in dispute.
Death Valley is the lowest point in North America, sitting 282 feet below sea level and is one of the hottest places in the world. Officials suggest that anybody visiting the National Park should drink at least four gallons of water each day.
The high temperatures are expected to continue throughout the week, with an excessive heat warning in the area in effect until Thursday (August 20) night.
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