The World's Hottest Place: Death Valley and Its 134°F Heat
Furnace Creek hit 134°F in 1913: the official WMO record, the debate over its validity, the geography behind the heat, and why to visit off-season.
By Jocelyn Pion · · 7 min read
Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth in terms of air temperature: 134°F was measured at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913, and certified by the World Meteorological Organization. The figure has stood for more than a century despite several challengers. El Azizia, Libya, reached 136.4°F in 1922, but that reading was invalidated in 2012; the Lut Desert reaches 177.4°F, but that is a surface temperature, not an air temperature. This is a documented record at a destination accessible from Los Angeles in a four-hour drive.
The official record: 134°F at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913
Furnace Creek is a weather station at the bottom of the California basin, inside Death Valley National Park. This is where 134°F (56.7°C) was measured on July 10, 1913, the highest air temperature ever recorded according to the WMO.
The WMO protocol is precise: measurements are taken 5 feet above the ground, in the shade, with ventilation, using a calibrated instrument. That is why the record is described as an air temperature, distinct from the surface temperature discussed below. The distinction matters: the Lut Desert has recorded 177.4°F, but that reading was taken at the ground by satellite.
At 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America. Its negative elevation intensifies the compression of air descending from the surrounding ridges.
In January 2026, Spencer, Christy, and Reid published an article in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (Vol. 107, No. 1) titled “Death Valley Illusion: Evidence against the 134°F World Record.” Their conclusion: the 1913 reading overestimates the actual temperature by about 14°F because the instrument was uncertified and the observer lacked specialized training. The WMO had issued no decision as of the article's publication date.
Why is Death Valley so hot?
Three mechanisms combine to produce temperatures unmatched anywhere else in North America.
The basin and its walls. The valley lies between the Panamint Mountains to the west and the Amargosa Range to the east. Air remains trapped at the bottom, with little cross-valley circulation.
The compression effect. As air descends from the ridges into the basin, it compresses and warms by about 1.8°F per 328 feet of descent. A column of air descending 5,900 feet gains 32.4°F before reaching the valley floor.
The salt flats' albedo and lack of moisture. Badwater Basin is covered with salt and light-colored minerals that reflect and reradiate heat downward. With less than 2 inches of rain a year, there is no evaporation to cool the air naturally. Nighttime temperatures remain high for the same reason.
This geographic mechanism is rarely explained in detail in French: geology, elevation change, and aridity work together rather than independently.
El Azizia, the Lut Desert, and the 2020 record: how extreme heat is measured
El Azizia, Libya, 136.4°F in 1922. For 90 years, this figure circulated as the world record. The WMO invalidated it in 2012 after a review found a defective instrument, an untrained observer, and nonstandard conditions. Furnace Creek then reclaimed the top spot.
The Lut Desert, Iran, and its 177.4°F. These data come from a May 2021 study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. They measure surface temperature, captured by the MODIS radiometer aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. This is not the same as the air temperature 5 feet above the ground: the Lut Desert reaches 177.4°F at the surface, but that value does not replace the WMO air-temperature record. The two figures answer different questions. An earlier 2005 study, published in 2011, recorded 159.3°F in the Lut using the same sensors, before improvements to the analysis resolution.
Death Valley on August 16, 2020: 129.9°F. Confirmed by the NPS, this is the second-highest value ever officially recognized as an air temperature. It came during an exceptionally hot California summer in 2020 and was confirmed by several independent stations.
When and how to visit Death Valley
Best season: November through March. Daytime temperatures range from 64 to 75°F, with cool nights. Badwater Basin is suitable for walking. The commemorative record plaque is visible at the Furnace Creek weather station, accessible by car from the park's main road.
Visiting in summer, with a plan. The NPS advises against hiking whenever temperatures exceed 100°F, which means June through September. Zabriskie Point and Artist's Drive remain accessible before 8 a.m. After 10 a.m. in July, air temperatures regularly exceed 113°F. The Furnace Creek ground-temperature record is 201°F, documented on July 15, 1972; the hottest night ever recorded in the valley was July 12, 2012, when the low stayed at 107.1°F. Together, these two benchmarks capture what summer conditions actually feel like on the ground.
Getting there from Southern California. Los Angeles is the main gateway, about a four-hour drive via I-15. Las Vegas is an alternative at roughly two and a half hours. To rent a car and plan a road trip through the American West, either city can serve as a base depending on your itinerary. Los Angeles also provides access to Joshua Tree in two and a half hours and Sequoia in four hours for travelers visiting several parks in one trip.
Our take: a documented record, best visited off-season
Remember the right figure. Death Valley, Furnace Creek, 134°F on July 10, 1913: that is the official WMO record, an air-temperature reading certified under a standardized worldwide protocol. The Lut Desert's 177.4°F is a surface temperature, not an officially recognized air-temperature record. The two figures answer different questions.
For curious travelers. We recommend November or December: the valley is easy to explore, the light over Badwater is beautiful, and the record plaque at Furnace Creek can be visited safely. In midsummer, keep the air conditioning running in the car and head outside before 8 a.m.
What we don't recommend. Planning a hike between June and September without checking the NPS weather forecast the day before. A ground temperature of 201°F, the 1972 record, and a nighttime low of 107.1°F, recorded in 2012, are not symbolic figures: they are real conditions that the appeal of the record can make visitors forget.
Frequently asked questions
What is the hottest place in the world?
The hottest place in the world by air temperature is Furnace Creek in California's Death Valley, where 134°F was recorded on July 10, 1913. The record is certified by the World Meteorological Organization.
Does Death Valley still hold the world heat record?
The 134°F record from 1913 has never been invalidated by the WMO. El Azizia, Libya, reached 136.4°F in 1922, but that reading was overturned in 2012 after the instrument was reviewed. On August 16, 2020, the NPS confirmed a reading of 129.9°F, the second-highest air temperature ever officially recognized.
What is the difference between air temperature and surface temperature?
Air temperature is measured 5 feet above the ground, in the shade, with a calibrated instrument, according to the WMO protocol. Surface temperature measures what a satellite detects in infrared from orbit. The Lut Desert reaches 177.4°F at the surface, but that value is not comparable to Furnace Creek's air-temperature record.
Can you visit Death Valley in midsummer?
Yes, provided you go out before 8 a.m. and stay in the car during the afternoon. The NPS advises against hiking above 100°F. The ideal season remains November through March.