Death Valley Temperature Reaches Scorching 128F as Heat Wave Continues

As an intense and record-breaking heat wave keeps roasting the American West, the highest temperature happened on Wednesday at the lowest point in North America - Death Valley.

Death Valley

According to the National Weather Service, high temperatures in Death Valley, California, pushed to 125 degrees by Wednesday evening, with an AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature of 130.

Death Valley is the record-holder for the highest air temperature that has been recorded on Earth, a scorching 134 degrees Fahrenheit in 1913. 125 degrees high temperature came just within 9 degrees of that world record. Newsweek reported that California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in California on Thursday because of the extreme heat.

On Thursday, record-high temperatures were recorded in Death Valley, California; Barstow, California; Las Vegas; Kingman, Arizona; Needles, California; and Bishop, California. Each region topped its past record high temperature for June 17 and Palm Springs, California broke its record for any day in June.

Death Valley recorded its highest temperature of the heat wave as yet, getting to a scorching reaching 128 degrees.

The Hottest Locations in the Lower 48

Death Valley is surely living up to its name as AccuWeather forecasters cautions that "most outdoor activity is likely life-threatening" in such severe heat, which will persist through the week. Bill Wadell, AccuWeather National Reporter, is in Death Valley and giving reports from there on the network.

By Wednesday 9 a.m. the temperature had reach 106 there and kept going. After 1 p.m., the mercury had increased to 121. The NWS marked Death Valley and Stovepipe Wells, California by 5 p.m., local time, as the hottest areas in the Lower 48 on Wednesday, both at 125 degrees F.

On the other state end, in northern California, one of the coldest temperatures of the day in the Lower 48 was recorded close to Old Station. Both that area and a station close to Sand Creek Station and Foster Flat in Oregon recorded low temperatures 25 degrees F - a difference of 100 degree.

Heat Watches and Warnings

But Death Valley is barely the only region experiencing searing heat, and many others have inputted new marks in the weather history books, and there could be falling of some more records, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Forecasters say this present heat wave won't only be remembered for its severity, but for its duration also.

Dozens of record highs have fallen already from Arizona and California to Utah to Montana and Idaho, and there is a possibility of more tumbling while heading into the weekend as temperatures remain well above 100 F and 110.

The expansive nature of too many heat watches and warnings over some parts of the country accustomed to extreme heat is a testament to the extremity of this particular heat wave. Most of these alerts last into the weekend.

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