California’s Death Valley could set the highest temperature record ever
Extreme heat affects July 4th in California
A sweltering heat wave is raging across the Central Valley, with temperatures in Fresno expected to reach 46 degrees on Saturday, a record high for that day.
If the weather forecast is correct and the summer heat wave continues, Death Valley in Eastern California could soon reach or break a world record.
According to a report from the National Weather Service, temperatures in Death Valley National Park could soar to as high as 54.4 degrees Celsius next week.
If successful, it would set the record for the highest temperature ever “reliably measured on Earth,” according to Scientific American.
Chris Outler, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Las Vegas office who forecasts Death Valley weather, said there is a 20 percent chance that the park will reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius) on Monday and Tuesday.
“That threshold is certainly not outside the realm of possibility,” Outler told USA TODAY.
Maximum temperatures in Death Valley are expected to reach 49 degrees on Wednesday, the weather service said.
Temperatures are expected to continue to rise over the next week, Outler said, and are expected to reach the following highs:
- Friday: 124 degrees
- Saturday: 127 degrees
- Sunday: 129 degrees
- Monday: 130 degrees (20% probability)
- Tuesday: 130 degrees (20% probability)
The heat can also be felt in the Coachella Valley
About 300 miles south, in the Coachella Valley, residents could see 11 days in a row of temperatures of 115 degrees or more, reports the Desert Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network. The weather service says that would break the previous record of nine days with temperatures of at least 115 degrees set in 2021.
The absolute record for Palm Springs is 123 degrees and was measured on June 17, 2021.
Meteorologists estimate that the probability of this record being reached on Friday is 14%.
On Saturday, the chances of breaking the 123-degree record increase to 20%. The probability of an all-time record on Saturday is 8%.
In the Central Valley, the city of Fresno is expected to reach 115 degrees on Saturday, setting a record for that day.
Contributors: Desert Sun
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X at @nataliealund.
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