Death Valley hits 130 in historic heat wave

California’s Death Valley reached 130 degrees on Friday, amid a historic heat wave that is impacting the Pacific Northwest and stretching into parts of the Southwest.  

The blistering temperature in the desert valley along the California-Nevada border was reported by the National Weather Service’s Las Vegas office, which predicted that the heat could reach as high as 132 degrees on Saturday. 

DEATH VALLEY UPDATE ️

High temp at Death Valley today = 130F.

⚠️ If this says anything about how hot SAT-SUN will be, HEED THESE WARNINGS. Do not put yourself, nor first responders in danger this weekend!

This observed high temp is considered preliminary & not yet validated. https://t.co/BwovUm42PE

— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 10, 2021

While the highest observed temperature in Death Valley was recorded as 134 degrees on July 10, 1913, scientists have disputed this reading, meaning Friday’s temperature could be one of the highest ever measured on Earth, according to The Washington Post. 

As of noon local time Saturday, the temperature in Death Valley had already reached 123 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. 

As of 12pm today, it’s already 123°F (50.6°C) @DeathValleyNPS!

These extreme temps are NO joke! Be mindful before heading outdoors this weekend. Do not put yourself, nor first responders in danger!

You can track the latest Death Valley temps @ https://t.co/X7jNlWJpmM pic.twitter.com/FTnL4kfHwR

— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) July 10, 2021

Millions of Americans in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona as well as in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington, have been issued excessive heat warnings, prompting officials to urge residents to limit their outdoor activities. 

According to The New York Times, nearly 200 people have died since late June amid the heat wave in Oregon and Washington state. 

In California, where record heat has led wildfires to break out unseasonably early, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called on residents this week to cut their water use by 15 percent as he expanded a drought emergency declaration to 50 of the state’s 58 counties.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Friday confirmed that last month was the hottest June ever recorded in the scientists’ 127 years of tracking temperatures in the U.S. 

NOAA reported that the average overall temperature of the month was 72.6 degrees, with states like Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah recording their hottest Junes ever. 

This week, an analysis from an international group of climate researchers explained that the record-breaking heat wave in the U.S. would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change. 

The study from the World Weather Attribution found that the heat would have likely been at least 150 times less likely without the impacts of human-induced climate change.