The new hottest place on Earth: Death Valley, California
As any weather aficionado can avow, Earth's most iconic weather record has long been the legendary all-time hottest temperature of 58°C (136.4°F) measured 90 years ago today at El Azizia, Libya on September 13, 1922. One hundred thirty six degrees! It's difficult to comprehend that heat like that could exist on our planet. For 90 years, no place on Earth has come close to beating the unbelievable 136 degree reading from Al Azizia, and for good reason--the record is simply not believable. But Earth's mightiest weather record has been officially cast down. Today, the official arbiter of Earth's weather records, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), announced that the all-time heat record held for exactly 90 years by El Azizia in Libya "is invalid because of an error in recording the temperature." The WMO committee found five major problems with the measurement. Most seriously, the temperature was measured in a paved courtyard over a black, asphalt-like material by a new and inexperienced observer, not trained in the use of an unsuitable replacement instrument that could be easily misread. The observer improperly recorded the observation, which was consequently in error by about 7°C (12.6°F.) The new official highest hottest place on the planet is now Death Valley, California. A remarkable high temperature of 56.7°C (134°F) was measured there on 10 July 1913, at Greenland Ranch.
Figure 1. The trading post at Al Azizia, Libya in 1923. The photo was taken from the Italian military fort located on a small hill just south of the trading post. It was at this fort that the temperature of 58°C (136.4°F) was observed on Sept. 13, 1922 (used with permission from the family of Gen. Enrico Pezzi).
The story behind the overturning of Earth's most hallowed weather record
Today's announcement is the culmination of a 3-year research effort begun by wunderground weather historian, Christopher C. Burt. His blog post today, World Heat Record Overturned--A Personal Account, provides a fascinating detective story on how the record came to be cast down--and how the Libyan revolution of 2012 almost prevented this from happening.
Figure 2. The new official hottest place on the planet: Death Valley, California. Wide open spaces, infinite views, intensely salty water, mind-boggling heat. What's not to love about this place? Image credit: Wunderphotographer SonomaCountyRAF.
Dead Heat: The Video
Don't miss the 25-minute wunderground video, Dead Heat, a detective story on how the El Azizia record was overturned.
Atlantic tropical update
Tropical Storm Nadine is recurving to the northwest and north well east of the Lesser Antilles Islands, on a track that would likely keep this storm far out at sea away from any land areas. However, Nadine may eventually threaten the Azores Islands or Newfoundland; the models are divided on how the steering currents will evolve next week, and we cannot be sure which way Nadine will go during the middle of next week.
The models predict that a trough of low pressure off the U.S. East Coast may serve as the focus for development of a non-tropical low pressure system on Sunday or Monday, but this low will likely form too far to the north to become a tropical storm. The GFS model has been predicting a tropical wave coming off the coast of Africa may develop next week, but has not been consistent with the timing or location of the development.
In the Western Pacific, Super Typhoon Sanba is an impressive top-end Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, and is headed north-northwest towards a possible landfall in Korea early next week.
Given the importance of the new world record all-time high temperature, I'll leave this post up until Saturday afternoon, when I'll post an update on the tropics.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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You haven't been looking very well. since 2010 there has been 4 Cat 5's.
2010 Super Typhoon Megi 155kts
2010 Hurricane Celia (EPAC)140kts
2011 Super Typhoon Songda 140kts
2011 Syper Typhoon Muifa 140kts
and now we have
2012 Syper Typhoon Sanba 150kts
Btw,,, it's Crickey.
Those who live in Okinawa have to prepare for a very strong typhoon moving very close to that island on Friday,even if it may not be as strong as it is now.
What's you're weltanshauung?
My English teacher taught me that today
Thought it was funny... Learning German in english
Nanmandol was upgraded to 140kts in the post season as well.
Australians these days;)
You're right, it's not cloud-filled. There is just a low-cloud deck in it. ;)
One shouldn't rebuke a blob which occurs through no fault of its own.
Not so sure... I'm thinking start of an EWRC... New bands are forming further away from the storm to the NW allowing the storm to get larger. May weaken some, but I believe she will pick up right where she left off in the morning (our time) and be quite a bit larger of a storm with a brand new eye!!
It's not gonna wind down quickly. I noticed it a few hours ago it's slowing gaining clouds in the center it's no doubt still a super typhoon and nothing to sneeze at
Ehhh I thought that at first but I'm not so sure now. Signs of EWRC would be more prevelant at this time
Don't start to get all sarcastic or whatever since you have a hard test tomorrow. Sanba is still looking good with a low level cloud deck or not.
He may be showing signs of something called
Insanity.
We all knEw he was insane but now it's becoming quite obvious
I was going by JMA numbers, they have Nanmadol as a135kt Cat 4 Typhoon. On the SSHWS yes Nanmadol would be a Cat 5.
EWRC.....
(old format)
(new format)
Feel free to have a read and leave a comment if you'd like.
Ausgezeichnet!
northwestern semi circle of super tropical cyclone sanba shows signs of eroding occuring
Nadine
Bless you. ... Do you need a hanky?
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING//
RMKS/
1. SUPER TYPHOON 17W (SANBA) WARNING NR 014
01 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONE IN NORTHWESTPAC
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
---
WARNING POSITION:
140000Z --- NEAR 18.2N 129.7E
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 360 DEGREES AT 10 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 020 NM
POSITION BASED ON EYE FIXED BY SATELLITE
PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 150 KT, GUSTS 180 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
RADIUS OF 064 KT WINDS - 050 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
050 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
045 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
045 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 080 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
080 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
075 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
075 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 140 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
140 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
135 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
135 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
Link
LOL
Mt. Dew seriously just came out of my nose!!
It is still possible Nadine may turn back west.
Meaning they will, Nadine is expected to be a hurricane when she gets to them.
That would be a really interesting track and possibly even a threat to the US if that happened.
I think these models are based on a tropical wave that is expected to move south of Nadine and interact with here; a sort of Fujiwhara scenario where the wave slings Nadine back west.
Guten Abend, kid!
It probably wouldn't have much punch left, but it has happened.
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