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World: Highest Temperature
| Record Value | 56.7°C (134°F) |
|---|---|
| Date of Record | 10 /7 [July] / 1913 |
| Formal WMO Review | Yes (2010-2012) |
| Length of Record | 1911-present |
| Instrumentation | Regulation Weather Bureau thermometer shelter using maximum thermometer graduated to 135°F |
| Geospatial Location | Furnace Creek Ranch, CA, USA [formerly Greenland Ranch], [36°27'N, 116°51'W, elevation: -54.6m (-179ft)] |
References
Court, 1949: How hot is Death Valley? Geographical Review, 39, pp. 214-220;World Meteorological Organization Assessment of the Purported World Record 58ºC Temperature Extreme at El Azizia, Libya (13 September 1922), K. El Fadli, R.S. Cerveny, C.C. Burt, P. Eden, D. Parker, M. Brunet, T.C. Peterson, G. Mordacchini, V. Pelino, P. Bessemoulin, J.L. Stella, F. Driouech, M.M Abdel wahab, M.B. Pace, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00093.1
Discussion
After examining the temperature record in detail, Court noted that this temperature may be the result of a sandstorm that occurred at the time. Such a storm may have caused superheated surface materials to hit upon the temperature in the shelter.
Previous record of 58C recorded at El Azizia Libya was reviewed (2010-2012) by a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Commission of Climatology (CCl) special international panel of meteorological experts conducted an in-depth investigation of the long-held world-record temperature extreme of 58ºC (136.4 ºF). That temperature (often cited by numerous sources as the highest surface temperature for the planet) was recorded at El Azizia (approximately 40 kilometers south-southwest of Tripoli) in what is now modern-day Libya on 13 September 1922.
The investigating committee (including experts from Libya, Italy, Spain, Egypt, France, Morocco, Argentina, United States, and United Kingdom) identified five major concerns with the 1922 El Azizia temperature extreme record, specifically (a) problematical instrumentation, (b) a likely inexperienced observer, (c) an observation site which was not representative of the desert surroundings, (d) poor matching of the extreme to other nearby locations and (e) poor matching to subsequent temperatures recorded at the site. The WMO evaluation committee concluded the most compelling scenario for the 1922 event was that a new and inexperienced observer, not trained in the use of an unsuitable replacement instrument that could be easily misread, inproperly recorded the observation and was consequently in error by about seven degrees Celsius. Based on these concerns, the WMO CCl World Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes has rejected the 58ºC temperature extreme measured at El Azizia in 1922.
Panel evaluation is published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
Images
Photograph of old Greenland Ranch Station, California, USA
Closeup Satellite Image of modern Furnace Creek Ranch, California, USA
Regional Satellite Image of modern Furnace Creek Ranch, California, USA
As a seasoned expert in meteorology and climate science, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to shed light on the topic of extreme temperatures. My expertise is backed by a comprehensive understanding of the methods and instruments used in temperature measurement, as well as a deep familiarity with historical temperature records.
Let's delve into the information provided in the article about the world's highest temperature, recorded at Furnace Creek Ranch, CA, USA, on July 10, 1913, at a scorching 56.7°C (134°F). The record underwent a formal review by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) from 2010 to 2012.
The instrumentation used for this record was a Regulation Weather Bureau thermometer shelter employing a maximum thermometer graduated to 135°F. The geospatial location of Furnace Creek Ranch is specified as [36°27'N, 116°51'W, elevation: -54.6m (-179ft)]. The reference for this information is Court's 1949 article titled "How hot is Death Valley? Geographical Review, 39, pp. 214-220."
The discussion section of the article raises an interesting point about the possibility of the recorded temperature being influenced by a sandstorm at the time. Court suggests that the storm might have caused superheated surface materials to impact the temperature reading in the shelter.
Now, let's shift our focus to a significant event mentioned in the article—the WMO's review of the previously held world-record temperature of 58ºC (136.4 ºF) recorded at El Azizia, Libya, on September 13, 1922. The WMO conducted a thorough investigation from 2010 to 2012 and identified five major concerns with the 1922 El Azizia temperature extreme record:
(a) Problematical instrumentation (b) Likely inexperienced observer (c) Observation site not representative of the desert surroundings (d) Poor matching of the extreme to other nearby locations (e) Poor matching to subsequent temperatures recorded at the site
The WMO's evaluation committee concluded that the most compelling scenario for the 1922 event was an error by a new and inexperienced observer who used an unsuitable replacement instrument, leading to a misreading of the observation by about seven degrees Celsius. Consequently, the WMO CCl World Archive of Weather and Climate Extremes rejected the 58ºC temperature extreme measured at El Azizia in 1922.
This comprehensive evaluation underscores the importance of meticulous instrumentation, experienced observers, and representative observation sites in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of extreme temperature records. As we explore the world's climatic extremes, it becomes evident that a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing temperature measurements is crucial for interpreting historical records.
