![hottest temperatures in recorded last year hottest temperatures in recorded last year](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/XD4GSR3SfdHuvPsiNdoVAA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTc0MS4yNQ--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/g9pzesfeXmA5nlRDroPgyA--~B/aD01OTM7dz03Njg7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_sg/News/AFP/55929cbefcf6f8fa8826a3c426a2a5b02e022934.jpg)
since 1970Īs a result, Palm Springs, California, now averages 14 extra days per summer with high temperatures of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit. That means heat waves start out at a higher baseline and heat domes have more cumulative heat to concentrate, pushing heat waves into uncharted territory. Some areas have warmed 3 to 5 degrees during summer just since 1970 due to human-caused climate change. is warming the fastest of all the regions in the continental U.S. One study released earlier this summer found that, since 1950, heat waves globally are getting significantly more frequent, lasting longer and producing more cumulative heat - making populations more vulnerable to heat stress.Īccording to Climate Central, the western U.S. Over the past few of decades, heat waves have become more intense, according to various studies. A recent study from Columbia University found that dry conditions in the West have also contributed to a megadrought that has been going on since 2000, making it perhaps one of the worst in 1,200 years. Since 1972, there has been an 8-fold increase in summer forest fire extent. Hot weather dries out the air and brush, making it easier for fires to ignite and spread. The scorching heat is helping to ignite and spread various wildfires in the West. That shatters the 2011 record of 33 days. By Thursday, Phoenix is expected to see its 44th day this year of at least 110 degrees. This summer is already the hottest on record for the desert city. Phoenix, Arizona, is right in the middle of this current heat dome, but even before that it was exceedingly hot. Predicted high temperatures in the West for Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Predicted high temperatures in the West for Monday, August 17, 2020. But while temperatures may drop just a couple of degrees, the blazing heat will likely continue in California and the Southwest for the next 10 days. The peak of the heat wave will be Monday and Tuesday, and then the dome will weaken a little as it shrinks back into the Southwest. On Saturday, several cities recorded all-time high August temperatures. Throughout the coming week, more than 100 temperature records are expected to be challenged. Record-breaking heat extends from Arizona to Washington state. The current heat wave is certainly not limited to deserts. It seems the reading is not suspect, but if there is reason for skepticism, the National Weather Service or World Meteorological Society may choose to conduct a review. Assuming no abnormalities are apparent, Sunday's reading will likely be accepted. However, according to Burt, this recording, and many others in Africa from the colonial period, has "serious credibility issues."īecause of these discrepancies, experts say the hottest temperature ever "reliably" recorded on Earth is 129.2 degrees, from 2013 in Death Valley. In 1931, a record-high temperature for Africa was recorded in Tunisia at 131 degrees.