Dr Jeff Masters Post on Death Valley (Now recognized as hottest)

[Jonger]

http://classic.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2230

Today, the official arbiter of Earth's weather records, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), announced that the all-time heat record held for exactly 90 years by El Azizia in Libya "is invalid because of an error in recording the temperature." The WMO committee found five major problems with the measurement. Most seriously, the temperature was measured in a paved courtyard over a black, asphalt-like material by a new and inexperienced observer, not trained in the use of an unsuitable replacement instrument that could be easily misread. The observer improperly recorded the observation, which was consequently in error by about 7°C (12.6°F.) The new official highest hottest place on the planet is now Death Valley, California. A remarkable high temperature of 56.7°C (134°F) was measured there on 10 July 1913, at Greenland Ranch.

[PhillipS]

http://classic.wunde...l?entrynum=2230

Today, the official arbiter of Earth's weather records, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), announced that the all-time heat record held for exactly 90 years by El Azizia in Libya "is invalid because of an error in recording the temperature." The WMO committee found five major problems with the measurement. Most seriously, the temperature was measured in a paved courtyard over a black, asphalt-like material by a new and inexperienced observer, not trained in the use of an unsuitable replacement instrument that could be easily misread. The observer improperly recorded the observation, which was consequently in error by about 7°C (12.6°F.) The new official highest hottest place on the planet is now Death Valley, California. A remarkable high temperature of 56.7°C (134°F) was measured there on 10 July 1913, at Greenland Ranch.

It was an interesting video, and i thought it illustrated how dedicated and professional the meteorologists were.

[aslkahuna]

This is discussed in further detail in the General Weather section. As it now stands, Death Valley holds both the hottest and second hottest temperatures at 134F and 129F. The latter is a modern day observation and should the 1913 record be invalidated Death Valley would still hold the record since 129F is the hottest temperature in the World that has no problems regarding its validity.

Steve