130F

[trailhound]

The hottest temperature on earth in 90 years.  Perhaps equaling the hottest ever as the old records (DV, 134F, July 10, 1913, and Kebili, Tunisia, 131F, July 10, 1931) are suspect.  130F was also hit on August 16, 2020.  That reading is under review by the World Meteorological Organization.

[netllama]

Insane

[DAW89446]

Temp is supposed to go up a few degrees tomorrow up here; it would be neat to see the all time high beaten - officially that is. For comparison, Winnemucca’s all time high is 109º.

[Candace66]

But it's a dry heat! 

[trailhound]

Dry heat is not really a joke. I watched the weather reports about the recent heat wave in the Pacific Northwest that killed over a hundred people. The relative humidity was only 17%. All they had to do to stay cool was sit in the shade with a hose pipe. Keep yourself wet. Evaporative cooling will freeze you.

We were once in Stovepipe when the afternoon temp was 108 per the pool thermometer. I swam around for a few minutes and got out. I thought I was going to freeze to death. I had chills. The water was flash evaporating like lighter fluid. It was a lesson on the power of evaporative cooling.

[MojaveGeek]

Dry heat also means your sweat actually works. Find some shade, sit down, and you cool down. With high humidity, you just continue sweating. And yes I've had exactly the same experience swimming at SPW (OK, not at 108!) - a mad dash into the changing house with the hot showers.

[DeathValleyDazed]

 And yes I've had exactly the same experience swimming at SPW 

I believe your guys freezing after swimming in the heat but I remain puzzled because I've swam often at the Furnace Creek - Oasis pool when well over 100 degrees during the day and only felt refreshed exiting the pool. I don't recall feeling cold or getting goosebumps? Maybe people's physiology varies? 

I'm going to try this as an experiment if I can ever return to DEVA during a heat wave. 

When out and about in temps above 100 degrees and especially with hot gusts blowing I've had great luck wearing a long sleeve white cotton shirt that I keep soaked with a spray bottle every few minutes. This really takes the edge off the heat and I don't feel in danger of desiccating like poor ol' Jean Lemoigne.

I have always assumed Jean Lemoigne died from dehydration along with his donkeys (mules) but it appears I'm mistaken as he is reported to have died from a heart attack?

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1676...n-lemoigne

[Candace66]

I rather doubt an autopsy was done on poor old Jean!  So any "cause of death" is speculation.

[David_Bricker]

When I was doing work at PSR during multiple summers (yes, apparently, I AM brain damaged), the temps ranged from 115-122. Usually dry, but June can be monsoon season. One June, I believe 2014, it was around 60% humidity. I worked from sunup until 10:30am, then hid inside until 6:30pm, and worked outside another 3 hours. Very unpleasant. I would drink around 3 gallons of water a day, and a beer or two at night, and still was running slightly dehydrated.

No pool, but I kept a hand towel soaked around my neck. That helped, as did extra large long sleeve cotton white shirts and a large hat.

David Bricker / SYR

[DeathValleyDazed]

No pool, but I kept a hand towel soaked around my neck.  That helped, as did extra large long sleeve cotton white shirts and a large hat.

I've employed the same tactics when out in the heat. I noticed that during the renovation/upgrade of The Oasis at Furnace Creek two/three years ago that the crews worked during the day and in the heat. Maybe the got hazardous pay bonuses? 

I have yet to try going Arabian, dressing in layers of white linen when out in the heat in Death Valley, but I'm reconsidering after reading this article about the why's and how's of heat management on the other side of the world. 

https://www.outdoorrevival.com/instant-a...mates.html