At Death Valley in California’s Mojave Desert, one of the hottest air temperatures recorded anywhere on the planet in at least a century, and possibly ever, was reached afternoon where it soared to 130 Fahrenheit (54.4 Celsius).
Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2020
Key-Points
The record comes as climate scientists warn of the dangers of a warming planet. Last month was the world’s third-hottest July on record, and three of the hottest ever Julys all occurred within the past five years.
A temperature of 134F (56.7C) was recorded in Death Valley in July 1913, and Kebili, Tunisia, is said to have hit 131F in July 1931, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
But recent research by Christopher Burt, an extreme weather expert, has led some meteorologists to view these older records as the results of observer error.
The Mojave Desert is an arid rain-shadow desert and the driest desert in North America.
It is in the Southwestern United States, primarily within southeastern California and southern Nevada.
Its boundaries are generally noted by the presence of Joshua trees, which are native only to the Mojave Desert.