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Frequently Asked Questions
Death Valley’s high summer temperatures are caused primarily by its topography. The valley floor is below sea level. As the sun heats up the air, it rises, but is trapped by the mountains on either side of the valley. This causes the air to recirculate, heating to extreme temperatures.
Death Valley holds the record for hottest place on Earth, with a recorded 134°F (56.7°C) measured at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913.
The most recent hottest temperature was 130°F, recorded on August 16, 2020 and July 9, 2021. If validated, these are the hottest temperatures recorded anywhere on Earth since the 1930s.
Technically it does, but not to temperatures that many people would call "cool." During the heat of the summer, temperatures at midnight often range from 100-110°F. The coolest hours are around 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., when it is usually 85-95°F. Some nights never drop below 100°F.
Very few people have experienced what 130 degrees Fahrenheit air temperature feels like. Furnace Creek's weather station holds the distinction of being the only place in the world that has recorded temperatures this high several times over: in 1913 (130, 131, and 134 degrees), 2020 (129.9 degrees) and 2021 (130.1 degrees). Mitribah, Kuwait, holds the next hottest record, having measured 129.2 degrees in 2016.
"Experiencing extreme heat is rather like experiencing extreme cold. Like how being out in termperatures below zero is painful, especially to the eyes, so is stepping out into 125 degrees or above."
-- Jennette Jurado, park ranger
"A breeze makes you hotter; the wind blows away the air your body has cooled down by sweating. Any wind feels like a hair dryer blowing on you."
-- Jennette Jurado, park ranger
“Working at a park that is the hottest place on Earth is really exciting,” said Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “We definitely come together as a community to celebrate these records and the uniqueness of living here, but also quickly learn not to touch metal surfaces, like car doors, that have been out in the sun.”
Living in the heat strategies:
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Acclimatize: Just like humans adjust to altitude with exposure, our bodies somewhat acclimatize to heat by working up to the summer’s intense heat with exposure. However, a week away in a cooler climate causes us to lose a lot of this adjustment.
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Avoid the heat: Just like people in extreme cold spend much of the winter inside, we spend much of the summer “hibernating” indoors. Hiking or working at higher elevations is another way to avoid the heat. Doing activities before sunrise is the coolest time of the day, but sometimes overnight low temperatures are over 100°F – usually around 4:00am.
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Redundant cooling systems: Most employee houses have both an air conditioner and an evaporative cooler (swamp cooler). Running the swamp cooler can save a few hundred dollars per month in electrical bills, but at temperatures above 120, most residents switch over to AC. The two systems work differently, and can’t be operated at the same time. Having two independent cooling systems provides a backup in case one breaks.
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Take breaks out of the heat: The park’s heat safety policy specifies work/cool-down ratios for ranges of summer temperatures. Above 120°F, all non-emergency outdoor labor is prohibited. In case of emergencies, staff are directed to work for 10 minutes at a time, followed by a 50-minute cool-down period.
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Cool showers: High ground temperatures mean that water in the cold tap in our houses can exceed 105°F. The first 30 seconds of a shower are cooler because the water has been cooled under the house. We turn on water after getting into the shower to not miss out on that! Another trick many residents do is turn off their water heaters in the summer. This allows the water in the water heater tank to cool down to room temperature (usually 80-85°F). In the winter, cold water comes out of the cold water faucet. In the summer, tepid—not cold—water comes out of the hot faucet. Confusing!
On average, someone dies from a suspected heat related illness about every other year.
Park rangers responsd to overheated park visitors multiple times per week throughout the summer months. However, rescues are not always possible. Park managers will not put rangers' lives at risk for lengthy search and rescue operations in extreme heat, and in extreme temperatures helicopters cannot get enough lift to take off and therefore are not an option for expedited help. Park staff urge visitors to take precautions to avoid these situations.
Yes! Death Valley National Park is globally recognized as the hottest place on Earth, and people travel here from around the world to experience the extreme heat.
In fact, August is often our second busiest month with an increase in international travelers, often coming from Europe and interested in experiencing what 50° Celsius feels like.
During the extreme summer heat, visitors can still enjoy the park's scenic vistas and overlooks from air conditioned vehicles, by short early morning walks, or heading to higher elevations where temperatures are cooler. More information on summer trip planning can be found on our Death Valley Summer Visit page.
Photo Gallery
Photographs below are in the public domain, can be used for any purpose, and can be credited "Courtesy of the National Park Service."
Video Segments
The videos below provide interview-style responses to frequently asked questions in both English and Spanish. These videos are in the public domain, can be used for any purpose, and can be credited "Courtesy of the National Park Service."
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Park Spokesperson Abby Wines explaining Death Valley's geography, which contributes to this being among the hottest places on Earth.
- Duration:
- 29.012 seconds
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Park Spokesperson Abby Wines' description of what 130-degree heat feels like. This is a temperature that has only been recorded a handful of times globally. Nearly all of these recordings were taking at Furnace Creek, CA in Death Valley National Park.
- Duration:
- 26.71 seconds
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Park Spokesperson Abby Wines' description of some challenges rangers face living in Death Valley, such as limited time outdoors and faucet providing hot water only.
- Duration:
- 1 minute
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Park Spokesperson Abby Wines shares tips for staying safe in the extreme heat of Death Valley, including staying within a few minutes of air conditioning at all times, and hiking only in the very early morning or at high elevations.
- Duration:
- 37.02 seconds
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Park Spokesperson Abby Wines shares of a few challenges faced by emergency responders in temperatures above 120 degrees: medical rescue helicopters may not be able to fly, and rescues during the heat of the day would risk ranger's lives.
- Duration:
- 37.571 seconds
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Guardaparque Giovanna Ponce explica cómo la topografia contribuye al calor extremo del Valle de la Muerte, uno de los lugares más calurosos del mundo.
("Spanish version of "Why is Death Valley so Hot?)
- Duration:
- 27.06 seconds
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Guardaparque Giovanna Ponce describe cómo se siente el calor de 130 grados, algo que muchas personas nunca han sentido. Esta temperatura se ha registrado muy pocas veces en Death Valley y se consideran las temperaturas más altas del mundo. (Spanish version of "What Does 130 Degrees Feel Like?)
- Duration:
- 24.808 seconds
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Guardaparque Giovanna Ponce describe los desafíos de vivir en Death Valley durante la época más calurosa del año y cómo hay poco alivio. (Spanish version of "What is Living in the Hottest Place on Earth Like"?)
- Duration:
- 37.738 seconds
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Guardaparque Giovanna Ponce da consejos sobre cómo visitar Death Valley de manera segura durante los meses más calurosos. El mejor consejo es limitar la exposición al aire libre y hacer turismo en un automóvil con aire acondicionado. (Spanish version of "How to Safely Visit in the Summer?")
- Duration:
- 42.059 seconds
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Guardaparque Giovanna Ponce da información sobre por qué los helicópteros médicos no pueden volar en calor extremo, y por qué la búsqueda y rescate en calor es un peligro para los guardaparques. (Spanish version of "What Challenges to Emergency Responders Face in Extreme Heat?")
- Duration:
- 49.9 seconds
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