Photo by Thomas Hawk via Flickr Creative Commons A long-standing
Libyan weather record deemed invalid by the World Meteorological
Organization has lifted Death Valley into the top spot for the
hottest place on Earth, a distinction WMO calls "as symbolic for
meteorologists as Mt. Everest is for geographers." The new,
official, highest surface temperature is 136 degrees recorded on
July 10, 1913, in Death Valley. Last month the average daily
high temperature in the area was 113 degrees. The hottest day
this year was July 11, when the temperature reached 128 degrees.
Already recognized as the driest and hottest spot in the United
States, Death Valley's new accolade comes after the previously
existing title, belonging to El Azizia, Libya, was investigated
by a team of international weather experts and found to be
inaccurate. 90 years ago the temperature in El Azizia, Libya was
incorrectly recorded as 136.4 degrees, the WMO panel announced
in a news release. The Libyan record, logged Sept. 13, 1922, was
likely tak