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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OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS WITH A 70 KNOT INCREASE IN INTENSITY
Does that qualify as explosive deepening?
MASHABLE LINK
I'm VERY tempted to add the Ron Burgundy "That escalated quickly" meme, but I'll spare y'all the bandwidth. :)
Hopefully the prompt evacuation of 33,000 people means no one will be injured or killed.
Geez, that reminds me of the pictures of when Mount St. Helens blew up... Hopefully there won't be any major far reaching effects.
Most intense storm of this year, thus far.
How far up is the stratosphere? It sent ash 2 miles up... That is maybe at 22k-23k feet up since the top of the Volcano is 12k feet in elevation already.
full northern hemispheric ir anim image
However, it still could reach the stratosphere.
Psst...
One is a strong tropical storm, the other is a Category 5. There may just be a slight difference in intensity there...
Just by a little, Nadine is looking good for a strong TS and Sanba is looking good for a cat5.
There also is still Kristy in the epac, but it's center is partly exposed.
Wow.
LOL true but Nadine will never look like that
I pay for be there and feel the power of the mother nature :)
wave at 10n 43w.
THANKS for the lesson... I appreciate it.
The eruption definitely did NOT reach the stratosphere then.
13/2032 UTC 17.7N 129.7E T7.0/7.0 SANBA -- West Pacific
-Nadine trying to become a hurricane;
-Pouch 27L moving slowly westward with very little model support for development;
-And Pouch 28L just coming off of Africa with a little more model support than 27L, though not much more.
Meanwhile back over the continent, the train is slowing down but looks to have a few possible surprises left:
BEGIN
NHC_ATCF
invest_ep912012.invest
FSTDA
R
U
040
010
0000
201209132307
NONE
NOTIFY=ATRP
END
INVEST, EP, E, , , , , 91, 2012, DB, O, 2012091318, 9999999999, , , , , , METWATCH, , EP912012
EP, 91, 2012091300, , BEST, 0, 161N, 1139W, 25, 1009, DB,
pretty much sums it up in a nutshell
though i would add expect activity to pick up
near end of month with some last minute come from behind shots
and thats all folks we will be done
Product: Air Force Vortex Message (URNT12 KNHC)
Transmitted: 25th day of the month at 23:23Z
Aircraft: Air Force Aircraft (Last 3 digits of the tail number are 303)
Storm Number & Year: 09L in 2012
Storm Name: Isaac (flight in the North Atlantic basin)
Mission Number: 16
Observation Number: 16
A. Time of Center Fix: 25th day of the month at 23:09:40Z
B. Center Fix Coordinates: 21°44'N 76°31'W (21.7333N 76.5167W)
B. Center Fix Location: 93 miles (150 km) to the ENE (75°) from Camagüey, Cuba.
C. Minimum Height at Standard Level: 1,403m (4,603ft) at 850mb
D. Estimated (by SFMR or visually) Maximum Surface Wind: 56kts (~ 64.4mph)
E. Location of the Estimated Maximum Surface Wind: 43 nautical miles (49 statute miles) to the ENE/E (79°) of center fix
F. Maximum Flight Level Wind Inbound: From 141° at 46kts (From the SE at ~ 52.9mph)
G. Location of Maximum Flight Level Wind Inbound: 41 nautical miles (47 statute miles) to the E (80°) of center fix
H. Minimum Sea Level Pressure: 997mb (29.44 inHg)
I. Maximum Flight Level Temp & Pressure Altitude Outside Eye: 15°C (59°F) at a pressure alt. of 1,523m (4,997ft)
J. Maximum Flight Level Temp & Pressure Altitude Inside Eye: 21°C (70°F) at a pressure alt. of 1,528m (5,013ft)
K. Dewpoint Temp (collected at same location as temp inside eye): 16°C (61°F)
K. Sea Surface Temp (collected at same location as temp inside eye): Not Available
L. Eye Character: Not Available
M. Eye Shape: Not Available
N. Fix Determined By: Penetration, Wind, Pressure and Temperature
N. Fix Level: 850mb
O. Navigation Fix Accuracy: 0.02 nautical miles
O. Meteorological Accuracy: 1.5 nautical miles
Remarks Section:
Maximum Flight Level Wind: 46kts (~ 52.9mph) in the east quadrant at 22:56:30Z
Viewing: 401 - 451
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