Death Valley Summer, Take Two
WILLIAM T. REID
bit last week, so here is (hopefully) a cleaner version, with updated averages
for August. This summer ranks as the hottest on record in Death Valley, at
least in terms of average daily maximum temperature for June, July and August,
and at least since 1938 (when average daily max and min data for the Death
Valley station were finally included in Climatological Data). The data compared
below are for Greenland Ranch (1911 to 1960, elev. -178 feet) and for Death
Valley (1960 to the present, elev. -194 feet). Both stations are at Furnace
Creek resort in Death Valley. The Greenland Ranch record is very inconsistent
and unreliable prior to 1930(*), so in some instances there are both
"trustworthy" and "untrustworthy" records. Normals are for 1951 to 1980.
JUNE (ave max/ave min/mean/monthly max/monthly min)
June 1994: 115.3/83.0/99.2/128/71
June Normals: 108.7/81.2/95.0
Hottest June: 114.7/86.1/100.4/120/77 (1960)
Coolest June: 102.4/71.6/87.0/120/63 (1944)
*The Junes of 1915 and 1922 also averaged 100.4.
*June 1923 averaged 86.0 (appears reliable)
June 1994 now holds the record for warmest average daily maximum since at least
1938
June 1994 is the 7th warmest since 1911 (monthly mean temp)
June 1994 had 9 days of 120+, second most on record since 1938 (12 in 1961,
average is 2 in June)
25 days in June 1994 had maximums above normal (109+)
JULY (ave max/etc)
July 1994: 118.7/89.8/104.3/124/78
July Normals: 115.4/88.4/101.9
Hottest July: 119.9/93.3/106.6/127/68 (1933)
Coolest July: 110.7/79.6/ 95.2/118/67 (1912)
July 1994 now holds the 2nd highest average daily maximum since 1933 (119.3 in
1959)
July 1994 is the 8th warmest July since 1911, the warmest since 1961 (monthly
mean temp)
Hottest reliable ave daily max was 120.5 in 1931
July 1994 had 12 days of 120+, there were 18 in July 1959 and 22 in July 1931
(average is 6)
*Average max of 121.9 in 1917 is very untrustworthy, based on surrounding
station data
25 days in July 1994 had maximums above normal (116+)
AUGUST (ave max/etc)
Aug 1994: 117.9/87.2/102.6/126/76
Aug Normals: 113.0/86.2/ 99.7
Hottest Aug: 115.7/93.4/104.6/124/84 (1971)
Coolest Aug: 107.6/81.1/ 94.4/120/72 (1976)
*Aug 1924 averaged 105.6, Aug 1918 averaged 92.2
August 1994 now holds the record for highest average daily maximum since at
least 1938
(2nd highest since 1938 is 117.2 in 1969)
August 1994 has the second most number of 120+ days since 1938, with 11 (1992
had 13, average is 3)
28 days in August 1994 had maximums at or above normal (113+)
SUMMER (June, July, August)
Summer 1994: 117.3/86.7/102.0
Summer Normals: 112.4/85.3/ 98.8
Summer of 1960: 115.9/88.1/102.0
In terms of highest mean temperature for summer, 1994 ties with 1960 and 1924
with 102.0
In terms of highest average daily maximum temperature for summer, 1994 is now
the hottest, with 117.3
For the 65-day period from June 22 to August 25, Death Valley averaged
119.5/89.2/104.4
This summer has had 32 days of 120 or hotter (so far), a new record. The old
record was 27 in 1961. (The average is about 12.) In addition, 12 days this
summer had a high of 119---which makes 44 days with 119 or hotter. Five days
were 126 or hotter, 11 days 124 or hotter, 16 days 122 or hotter. All of these
are believed to be records for Furnace Creek (Greenland Ranch and Death Valley),
at least since 1930.
The high temperature of 128 at Death Valley on June 29, 1994, ties for the
hottest reliable temperature yet recorded in Furnace Creek. Death Valley had
128 on July 14 and 15, 1972. A temporary station at Badwater (elev. -280 feet,
along the eastern edge of the playa right against the Black Mountains, 18 miles
south of Furnace Creek) registered 129 on July 11, 1959. The record Greenland
Ranch maximums in July 1913 (the 8th thru 14th had highs of 128, 129, 134, 129,
130, 131, and 127) are very untrustworthy: they are not supported by data from
surrounding stations, nor are they supported by 80 subsequent years of high
temperature measurements in Death Valley. The authenticity of the record 134
temperature at Greenland Ranch on July 10, 1913---the so-called record high
temperature for the Western Hemisphere---is quite doubtful. By the way,
Stovepipe Wells, 18 miles northwest of Furnace Creek at elevation zero, had 127
on June 30, 1994.
I spoke by phone with Glen Gossard of the Park Service in Furnace Creek on
August 25. He had the foresight to visit Badwater between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m. on
both June 29 and 30, 1994, when Death Valley (Furnace Creek) highs were 128 and
127. Glen said that he observed a steady temperature of 131 at Badwater on both
occasions. He used a standard NWS thermometer and held it in the shade of
himself and in the shade of a sign at Badwater, about 4 to 5 feet above the
ground. He said that the winds at Badwater were very strong, from the
southwest. (He also said that he could not hold out an open hand against the
wind, the burning sensation was too great.) This method of measuring
temperature in windy conditions usually provides a good estimation of air
temperature! Barren Badwater and much of the remainder of Death Valley areas
below sea-level are typically 2 to 3 degrees warmer on summer afternoons than
the Furnace Creek settlement and its weather station site. Furnace Creek is an
oasis area, cooled by evaporative effects. Having personally compared summer
afternoon temperartures between Furnace Creek and Badwater on several days in
past years, including days in the low to mid 120s, I have no trouble believing
that the air temperature at Badwater was at least 131 on the last two days of
June, 1994.
William Reid
Climatologist, Continental Weather Services, Encino, California
CompuServe 73551,2512