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130 degrees: California's Death Valley may soon break world heat record

Natalie Neysa Alund
USA TODAY

If forecasters are correct, and the summer's heatwave continues, Eastern California's Death Valley may soon break a world record.

The temperature in Death Valley National Park could skyrocket to 130 degrees next week, the National Weather Service is reporting.

If it does, it will set the record for the hottest temperature ever "reliably measured on earth", according to Scientific American.

Chris Outler, a forecaster with the weather service's Las Vegas office, which predicts weather in Death Valley, said there's a 20% chance the park will hit 130 degrees Monday and Tuesday.

"The threshold is certainly not out of the realm of possibility," Outler told USA TODAY.

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On Wednesday, the high in Death Valley was expected to reach 122 degrees, the weather service said.

Over the next week, the temperature is expected to slowly creep higher, Outler said, and is expected to top out as follows:

  • Thursday, July 4th: 123 degrees
  • Friday: 124 degrees
  • Saturday: 127 degrees
  • Sunday: 129 degrees
  • Monday: 130 degrees (20% chance)
  • Tuesday: 130 degrees (20% chance)

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Coachella Valley also feeling the heat

About 300 miles south, in Coachella Valley, residents may see 11 straight days with temperatures of 115 degrees or higher, the Desert Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network is reporting. According to weather service, that would break the former record of nine days of temperatures of at least 115 degrees set in 2021.

The all-time record high for Palm Springs is 123 degrees, recorded June 17, 2021.

Forecasters say there is a 14% chance of matching that record on Friday.

A message board warns against excessive heat along I-5 outside of Lodi in California on Jul. 2, 2024. Triple-digit temperatures are expected in the Central Valley all week. In Death Valley, the high could hit 130 degrees, creating a world heat record.

The chances increase on Saturday, with a 20% chance of breaking the 123-degree record. The probability of an all-time record high on Saturday is 8%.

In the Central Valley, the city of Fresno is forecasted to reach 115 on Saturday, tying a record for that day.

Contributing: Desert Sun

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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