Death Valley, California is famous as the hottest place on earth and driest place in North America. It’s also the lowest point in North America. The world record highest air temperature of 134°F (57°C) was recorded at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. Summer temperatures often top 120°F (49°C) in the shade with overnight lows dipping into the 90s°F (mid-30s°C.) Average rainfall is less than 2 inches per year (5 cm), a fraction of what most deserts receive. They had two years (1929 and 1953) when they didn’t get a drop of rain all year!
The average rainfall in the month of June is 0.03″. Yesterday (Wed. 6/22), they had a shower. They didn’t get much rain – just 0.04″. The clouds and the shower kept the high temperature down to 96°. That was 14° cooler than the average high temperature of 110° for June 22. Their low temp. of 77° was 4° lower than the average low temp. of 81° for 6/22.
A trace of rain fell at Las Vegas NV and Twenty-Nine Palms CA. A thundershower produced a wind gust to 69 mph at Moore CA.
At 8 pm local time, the temperature at Badwater in Death Valley National Park was 85°. Just 16 miles away at Telescope Peak, the temperature was 46°. The difference in temperature is due to elevation. The lowest point in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level, while the elevation of Telescope Peak is 11,049 feet above sea level. This is one of the steepest climbs in the world.
