Death Valley lived up to its reputation as the hottest place on Earth by setting several heat records over the summer of 2020, the fourth-hottest summer on record following 2018 (104.2 average day-and-night temperature), 2017 (103.5) and 2016 (103.3).
Death Valley National Park reported that in the meteorological summer (June-August) Death Valley saw an average day-and-night temperature of 102.7 degrees, and August and September experienced the hottest day or night ever recorded for that month, joining May in that category.
The temperature reached 130 degrees in August, the highest recorded in the park since 1913. May’s highest was 122 and September’s highest was 125.
“Death Valley National Park is known for its extreme temperatures, and this year certainly didn’t disappoint when it comes to heat!” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds.
“It is exciting to live and work in a place that is literally the hottest place on Earth. I’m proud to work with a resilient team of employees who have chosen to embrace the heat and carry out the mission of the National Park Service here.”
Heat highlights in 2020 to date:
- 35 days over 120 degrees (normal is 18.4)
- 8 days over 125 degrees (normal is 2.9)
- 6 nights over 100 degrees (normal is 0.5)
- 130 degrees on 8/16 was the hottest temperature recorded in the park since 1913, and possibly the hottest temperature in the world since 1931. A final verification process will be overseen by a climate extremes committee.
- August’s average daily and nightly temperatures rank it as the second hottest August on record; however, August’s daily high temperatures averaged to be 118.8, which sets a record as the hottest average high temperature for the month.
- August 17 had a high of 127 and low of 104 low degrees, for an average of 115.5, which is tied for the hottest average daily temperature ever recorded.
- Heat records were set for both daily high, and highest daily low temperatures across many of the hottest months of the year: 6 in May, 1 in June, 1 in July, 12 in August, and 3 to date in September.
Many tourists, especially those from Europe, come to Death Valley just to experience the heat. Those who living in this extreme environment requires adjustments by park staff and the local communities. The park listed some of those:
- The park has a strict heat-safety work policy, requiring cool-down and hydration periods after working in extreme heat conditions.
- As the coolest hours of the day are usually 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., local residents usually get up pre-dawn to walk their dogs and get exercise.
- Ground temperatures add heat to water pipes, resulting in extremely hot water coming from the tap naturally. To adjust for this, residents turn off their hot water heaters and use them as a reservoir to cool water down to room temperature, so tepid water comes from turning on the hot water faucet, and hot water comes from the cold faucet settings.
- There are stretches of roadways where signs are posted recommending that air conditioning be shut off to avoid car engines overheating. As vehicles leave the extreme heat of the lower valleys and climb over mountain passes, overheated engines are a real risk. This summer saw two vehicle fires as a result of overheated engines, and numerous vehicle breakdowns. Turning off air conditioning might be uncomfortable but reduces the exertion of the engine.
Death Valley reminds tourists that the park continues to experience temperatures of over 110 degrees and will continue to have 100-degree-plus temps into October, so it recommends to plan and prepare to be safe when visiting.