World's Hottest Temperature Cools A Bit

[knocker]

Team of meteorologists overturn a reading from 90 years ago and make Death Valley the holder of the world's hottest temperature

TEMPE, Ariz. – If you think this summer was hot, it's nothing compared to the summer of 1913, when the hottest temperature ever recorded was a searing 134 F in Death Valley, Calif. But while that reading was made 99 years ago, it is only being recognized today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the most extreme temperature ever recorded.

That's because an international team of meteorologists recently finished an in-depth investigation of what had been the world-record temperature extreme of 58 C (136.4 F), recorded on Sept. 13, 1922 in El Azizia, Libya. The group found that there were enough questions surrounding the measurement and how it was made that it was probably inaccurate, overturning the record 90 years to the day it was recorded.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/asu-wht091112.php

[AWD]

I bet that's still too cold for Bottesford! Lol.

[Sainsbo]

Documentary can be found here - http://www.wunderground.com/deadheat

[Weather-history]

That Libyan record was in doubt way back in the 1920s

[Methuselah]

I bet that's still too cold for Bottesford! Lol.

And the new one's still too hot for LG...

[cyclonic happiness]

Probably more of a case of Americans wanting everything for themselves.

I'll take their claim with a large pinch of salt tbh!

[Weather-history]

Team of meteorologists overturn a reading from 90 years ago and make Death Valley the holder of the world's hottest temperature

TEMPE, Ariz. – If you think this summer was hot, it's nothing compared to the summer of 1913, when the hottest temperature ever recorded was a searing 134 F in Death Valley, Calif. But while that reading was made 99 years ago, it is only being recognized today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the most extreme temperature ever.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/asu-wht091112.php

Are they going to an in depth investigation of that record? As I stated in the past, there is a degree of scepticism on that record that also goes back to the 1920s.

[knocker]

Probably more of a case of Americans wanting everything for themselves.

I'll take their claim with a large pinch of salt tbh!

Based on what evidence?

[knocker]

Are they going to an in depth investigation of that record? As I stated in the past, there is a degree of scepticism on that record that also goes back to the 1920s.

I can only answer what was posted on the link.

That's because an international team of meteorologists recently finished an in-depth investigation of what had been the world-record temperature extreme of 58 C (136.4 F), recorded on Sept. 13, 1922 in El Azizia, Libya. The group found that there were enough questions surrounding the measurement and how it was made that it was probably inaccurate, overturning the record 90 years to the day it was recorded.

[stewfox]

That Libyan record was in doubt way back in the 1920s

True but still going to be some pub quizz fights over this.

[cyclonic happiness]

Based on what evidence?

why have they waited this long to discredit it?

[knocker]

why have they waited this long to discredit it?

Just answer my original question,

[Styx]

Same thing recently happened in Australia when a group of meteorologists with apparently a bit of time on their hands rewrote history:

From Wikipedia:

Cloncurry was widely regarded as holding the record for the highest temperature recorded in Australia at 127.5 °F (53.1 °C) on 16 January 1889. Recent investigations have revealed that this temperature was measured in an improvised screen made from a beer crate and that it equated to 47–49 °C under standard conditions.

Hilarious.

Oodnattada in South Australia, 50.7 in 1960, is now number 1.

[March Blizzard]

The Libyan record did seem a bit iffy, especially when considering the time of year it occured and its location so close to the coast. I would imagine the American record is more accurate, if not entirely itself. Personally, I take any "official" measurements from so long ago with a pinch of salt. It's also somewhat of a moot point anyway when you consider that the "real" record temperatures likely occur in places completely devoid of measuring equipment.

[TonyH]

why have they waited this long to discredit it?

Answer within:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/sep/13/el-azizia-libya-title-hottest-place-recorded

Namely this:

"In the past 10 years or so there has been a lot of data archaeology – that is, rediscovering old manuscripts and putting them into digital form and so on, and that is what enabled this. There is much more information available now," he said.

One particularly damning piece of evidence was tracked down in the original log of the reading in El Azizia. A review of the document revealed that the person who took the measurement consistently misread the Six Bellini thermometer used at the Libyan site.

[TonyH]

Full fascinating account of the investigations spearheaded by Christopher Burt:

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/comment.html?entrynum=89