Death Valley will break its own record as the hottest place on Earth

California’s Death Valley is expected to experience a scorching heatwave during the week of July 4 – and it could break its own record as the hottest place on earth within days.

The temperatures will be so hot that rescue helicopters will not be allowed to fly.

The heat wave currently hitting California is expected to bring exceptionally high temperatures to Death Valley this week. Weather freaks are closely monitoring the situation and hoping the thermometer will rise above 130 degrees Fahrenheit. (At 130 degrees Fahrenheit, tender beef such as sirloin and ribeye steak would cook sous vide to medium-rare in two hours.)

According to Scientific American, 130 degrees is the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth, a record set in Death Valley in both 2020 and 2021. There was a heat wave in 2023 that didn’t break the record, but now the Las Vegas office of the National Weather Service, which is responsible for weather forecasting in Death Valley, estimates there’s a 25 percent chance of reaching 130 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.

Meteorologist Brian Planz told SF Gate that the official temperature gauge in Furnace Creek is expected to read about 58 degrees next Monday. However, if the high pressure system causing this heat wave is right over the park, temperatures could potentially rise even higher and break records.

The extreme heat in Death Valley is not just a curiosity, but a serious danger. Temperatures of over 54 degrees Celsius can have serious effects on the human body. At this temperature, the body’s cooling mechanisms, especially sweating, are overwhelmed.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur quickly and cause symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Prolonged exposure to heat can cause the body’s core temperature to rise dangerously, potentially leading to organ failure and death. In addition, physical contact with superheated surfaces, such as the valley floor, can cause severe burns.

Historically, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recognizes a maximum temperature of 134 degrees measured at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913, as the absolute record. However, this measurement, made by U.S. Weather Bureau observer Oscar Denton, is disputed by many meteorologists due to inconsistencies in his records. Consequently, the 130-degree readings from 2020 and 2021 are often cited as the highest reliably recorded temperatures.

A spokesperson for Death Valley National Park told Vox that many visitors are shocked to learn that “a (rescue) helicopter won’t come if it’s over 120 degrees outside. Warm air just doesn’t have as much lift as cool air. So a helicopter has less lift in extreme temperatures. That seems to be the most effective thing we can do other than tell people, ‘Oh, it’s hot out there.'”