On July 10th, 1913, Death Valley reached 134°F (56.7°C), and this held the record for the highest measured temperature on Earth until overtaken by the Libyan Sahara Desert in 1922, which managed 136.4°F, however this was long disputed, due to faulty equipment, and after a detailed investigation in 2012 was deemed invald, so Death Valley now holds the record. Curiously, despite the supposed effects of global warming, neither location has been hotter since. Even the Death Valley record of 134°F is under some doubt; the highest temperature on Earth which is completely undisputed is 130°F, again in Death Valley, in 2020 and 2021 - see notes on high temperatures in recent years.

Death Valley Weather Forecast

Death Valley Heat

There are many other statistics that can be produced to describe the extreme temperatures in Death Valley, for example in 1994 there were 31 consecutive days above 120°F, and for several months of each year, the average minumum night-time temperature is above 80°F. The visitor center has a comprehensive display of weather-related information, including a graph of the minimum and maximum temperatures throughout the year, and current readings from several locations along the valley. For many people, especially tourists from the temperate countries of Europe, the intense summer heat provides the main reason to visit.

Frost

Nevertheless, frost and even snow can occur and rain may fall at any time although most is during winter and spring, and the yearly total is usually just a couple of inches, yet parts of the valley are subject to flash floods, leading to occasional road closures. Furnace Creek is officially the driest place in the US, with a yearly average of only 1.5 inches, but it still manages to support a well-watered 18 hole golf course which not surprisingly is the lowest in the US at -214 feet. The prevailing, rain-bearing winds blow from in from the Pacific but all moisture is usually deposited on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains as the air rises. In 1913, the same year which saw the hottest day, the temperature reached a record low of 15°F (-9°C).

Average Death Valley Weather Conditions