Death Valley: Rising Temperatures and the Reliability of Historical Temperature Records
Overview
This paper examines the rising temperatures recorded in Death Valley, California, particularly comparing recent extreme heat events from 2017-2021 with the disputed historical record of 134°F set in 1913. The author argues that while recent temperature readings are reliable due to corroboration with surrounding weather stations and proper methodology, the 1913 record is unreliable due to observer error and inconsistencies with meteorological data.
What this coursework covers
- Documentation of recent extreme temperatures in Death Valley from 2017-2021, showing a pattern of increasing heat records
- Analysis of the disputed 1913 temperature record of 134°F and meteorological evidence questioning its validity
- Discussion of factors affecting temperature data reliability including observer credibility, instrument quality, and consistency with surrounding station measurements
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Death Valley: Rising Temperatures
Death Valley, California, experienced its highest monthly temperatures in July 2017 when the mean temperature was 107.4oF, surpassing the 1917 monthly record of 107.2oF. This monthly mean temperature was derived by averaging daily mean temperatures, including nighttime temperatures (Serna). July 7 was the hottest day of the month, with an average daily temperature of 127 oF. Although July 2017 was the hottest month ever measured on Earth, July 2018 was even hotter, and average monthly temperatures exceeded the average of 102.2 oF by nearly six degrees (Livingstone & Samenow). The day and night temperatures for July 2018 averaged 108.1 oF and exceeded those of the previous year (which had broken a 100-year-old record) by approximately half a degree.
While 2020 did not beat 2018, the month of July did report the hottest temperature since July 2017: the official weather observing station in Death Valley recorded temperatures as high as 128oF. This temperature was only a degree shy of what experts consider to be the hottest temperature recorded anywhere on the planet (Berardelli). 2021 was the worst year for high temperatures, with temperature recordings in Death Valley reaching up to 130 oF on July 9. This astonishing temperature reading only trails the official highest temperature ever measured on Earth of 134 oF on July 10, 1913, although the meteorological community widely questions this measurement. The July 9, 2021, highest daily temperature of 130 oF was also recorded on August 16, 2020.