Death Valley is one of the hottest places on Earth and holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded at 134°F (57°C). As Southern California is currently hit by a punishing heat wave, it was believed that a new world record could be set in Death Valley this weekend.
My sister and I made a spontaneous decision to drive to Death Valley today.
According to the weather forecast, temperature could reach 125°F this afternoon. The thermometer outside Furnace Creek Visitor Center read 130°F when we arrived a little before 3pm.
Despite the scorching heat, to my surprise, the experience wasn’t as unbearable as I had anticipated. We stayed in the shade whenever possible and ventured into the sun only briefly to check the thermometer or to take pictures. We also went inside the visitor center frequently to stay cool. Consequently, the heat was actually pretty manageable.
We decided to wait a little to see if the temperature would reach even higher. But it hovered between 129°F and 131°F and never went higher than that before we decided to leave at around 3:30pm.
According to the internet, temperature reached as high as 133°F a little after we left.
We were hoping to witness a historical moment and the setting of a new world record today. Although that didn’t happen while we were there, the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the realm of extreme heat was still an extraordinary, unforgettable experience.