Hot tempertures in the Desert Southwest of the US
MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel image + MODIS Land Surface Temperature product
The daily maximum temperature at Death Valley, California was 128º F (53.3º C) on 11 July 2012. A comparison of AWIPS images of 1-km resolution MODIS 0.65 µm visible channel data and the corresponding Land Surface Temperature (LST) product (above) showed that LST values were in the 150-160º F range (darker red color enhancement) in parts of the Death Valley region (which is generally oriented north to south, just to the east of station identifier K4SU).
The following morning, the surface air temperature at Death Valley only dropped to 107º F (41.7º C), which was the second warmest daily minimum temperature on record for that location:
RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
950 AM PDT THU JUL 12 2012…SECOND WARMEST LOW TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED AT DEATH VALLEY ON RECORD…
THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT THE OFFICIAL DEATH VALLEY WEATHER STATION IN FURNACE CREEK THIS MORNING ONLY FELL TO 107 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE RECORD FOR THE HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR JULY 12TH OF 100 DEGREES SET IN 1931.
THE LOW OF 107 DEGREES THIS MORNING IS THE SECOND WARMEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED AT DEATH VALLEY SINCE RECORDS STARTED IN JUNE 1911. ONLY JULY 5TH 1918…WHEN THE LOW TEMPERATURE FELL TO 110 DEGREES HAS BEEN WARMER. THE LAST TIME DEATH VALLEY RECORDED A LOW OF 105 DEGREES OR GREATER WAS ON JULY 11TH 1920. A LOW OF 101 WAS RECORDED ON JULY 19TH 2010 AND THIS WAS THE LAST TIME A MINIMUM IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS WAS RECORDED IN DEATH VALLEY.
THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND IS SUBJECT TO A FINAL REVIEW BEFORE BEING CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER.
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STACHELSKI