The Unlikely 134 F - World record maximum temperature in Death Valley in July 1913

Jeff Duda

Jeff Duda

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A longtime member of this forum recently authored a blog debunking/disproving the 134 F world maximum temperature measurement that occurred in Death Valley in July 1913. The write-up can be found both on his website, and Weather Underground did their own version of the blog:

http://stormbruiser.com/chase/2013/08/29/death-valleys-134f-record-temperature-study-part-one/

https://www.wunderground.com/blog/w...f-death-valleys-134f-world-temperature-record

It looks like the true world record highest temperature ever reliably measured is more like 129-130 F. My hat's off to @William Reid for the excellent detective work.
 
Although only in my late thirties at the time, I remember the digital thermometer on my new F-150 reading 134 degrees. The weather channel also tweeted the same thing.......
 
Vehicle and bank thermometers are notorious for having a strong warm bias due to poor siting. They're not measuring the ambient atmospheric temperature; rather they're measuring the air immediately around them, which is usually impacted by non-meteorological factors (e.g., heat given off by your engine or conduction from nearby heat conducting materials like metals or black plastics).
 
William Reid said:
Thanks for mentioning this, Jeff! We got a mention by the Washington Post, Capital Weather Gang, too.
Click to expand...

The WaPo mention was actually where I first heard of it. Had to trace it back to Wunderground and your site. Well done!
 
Nice work. Will the research be submitted to the WMO for review? What is the likelihood this record gets reversed?
 
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