Share
The Sonoran Desert is one of the new record holders for Earth’s hottest surface temperature.
benedek/iStock
Move over, Death Valley: These are the two hottest spots on Earth
May. 19, 2021 , 1:40 PM
Death Valley holds the record for the highest air temperature on the planet: On 10 July 1913, temperatures at the aptly named Furnace Creek area in the California desert reached a blistering 56.7°C (134.1°F). Average summer temperatures, meanwhile, often rise above 45°C (113°F).
But when it comes to surface temperature, two spots have Death Valley beat. A new analysis of high-resolution satellite data finds the Lut Desert in Iran and the Sonoran Desert along the Mexican-U.S. border have recently reached a sizzling 80.8°C (177.4°F).