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Hottest places

Hottest places
Who
Dallol, Death Valley, Makkah, Matam
What
34 degree(s) Celsius
Where
Not Applicable
When
1960-66

On an annual-mean basis, with readings taken over a six-year period from 1960 to 1966, the temperature at Dallol, Ethiopia, was 34ºC (94ºF); based on the same data-set, the average daily maximum temperature was 41.1ºC (106ºF). In Death Valley, California, USA, maximum temperatures of over 49ºC (120ºF) were recorded on 43 consecutive days, between 6 July and 17 August 1917, while in July 2018, Furnace Creek in Death Valley attained an average daily temperature of 108.1ºF (42.3­ºC) making it the hottest month in a single location. At Makkah (aka Mecca) in Saudi Arabia, 227 consecutive days with maximum temperatures of 37.8ºC (100ºF) or higher were recorded between 31 March and 12 November 2010. At Matam in north-east Senegal, the temperature reached 32.2ºC (90ºF) or higher on 355 days (non-consecutive) in 2019.

Death Valley is currently recognized as the location of the highest temperature on record, with a reading of 56.7°C (134°F) made at Greenland Ranch on 10 July 1913. It gained this all-time temperature title on 13 September 2012 after the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) disqualified the erstwhile record of 58°C (136.4°F) documented in El Azizia, Libya, exactly 90 years after it had been established. However, some doubts have also been cast around the veracity of the 1913 Death Valley temperature. At 3:41 p.m. PDT on 16 August 2020, a peak of 129.9°F (54.4°C) was registered at Furnace Creek Visitor Centre in Death Valley, the data of which is currently being scrutinized by the WMO for ratification. If confirmed to be accurate, this will likely be recognized as the highest reliably measured temperature on record.

At the other end of the scale, the lowest recorded temperature on Earth is -89.2°C (-128.6°F), logged at Russia's Vostok research station in Antarctica on 21 July 1983, during the southern hemisphere winter.

Why are some places hotter than others?

A number of geographical and topographical features, among other factors such as pollution, contribute to why certain locations experience higher temperatures and the frequency at which they occur.

First and foremost, the vast majority of the contenders for the title of hottest place sit within the tropics – the region bordering the Equator, up to 23.4° latitude either side. Land situated closer to 0° latitude is physically closer to the Sun (because Earth bulges at its centre); more than that, though, as sunlight strikes at a straighter angle in this zone, its intensity is more focused. The curves of the planet found at higher latitudes towards the poles, meanwhile, serve to disperse solar energy over a wider area, diluting some of its strength. Further, daylight hours remain the same throughout the year nearer the Equator, so there is less seasonal variation (contributing to higher average temperatures year around), although there are typically drier and wetter periods.

The world’s hottest places also tend to sit at very low elevations – some even below sea level in natural depressions or valleys. This is because as land rises, atmospheric pressure reduces, enabling hot air to dissipate more easily. As a general rule of thumb, air temperature decreases around 1°C for every 100 m of altitude gained.

Another factor that drastically affects local climate is proximity to the coast – generally sea-bordering regions will experience more temperate conditions throughout the year. This is because the presence of such a large body of water helps to counter extreme temperatures (at both ends of the spectrum), taking longer to heat up than land in the summer and conversely staying milder than the land in the winter. So all of the hottest places based purely on air temperature will be found inland. It’s worth noting that this is not the case when it comes to the places with the highest humidity levels, though; by contrast, the most humid places tend to be on the coast because of the prevalence of moisture in the air.

Hottest places on each continent

Based on weather extremes recognized by the World Meteorological Organization, these are the hottest ever one-off air temperature records on each continent, in order from highest to “lowest”, that have been formally ratified to date:

  1. North America: 56.7°C (134°F), in Death Valley, California, USA; on 10 July 1913
  2. Africa: 55°C (131°F), at Kebili, Tunisia; on 7 July 1931
  3. Asia: 53.9°C (129°F), at Mitribah, Kuwait; on 21 July 2016 / 53.7°C (128.7°F), at Turbat, Pakistan; on 28 May 2017
  4. Oceania: 50.7°C (123°F), at Oodnadatta, Australia; on 2 January 1960
  5. South America: 48.9°C (120°F), at Rivadavia, Salta Province, Argentina; on 11 December 1905
  6. Europe: 48.8°C (119.8°F), at Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; on 11 August 2021
  7. Antarctica: 18.3°C (64.9°F), at Esperanza Research Station (Argentina) on the Antarctic Peninsula; on 6 February 2020

Is climate change making the world hotter?

NASA has estimated that Earth’s temperature has gone up by at least 1.1°C (1.9°F) in the last 140 years (1880 is deemed the point at which reliable climate data began to be logged). Although temperatures do naturally fluctuate in cycles, as evidenced by ancient climatic events such as the ice ages, the vast majority of scientists now concur that anthropogenic (i.e., human-driven) activity has been the primary driver of recent, accelerated temperature increases. Among the most impactful causes behind this global heating are the burning of fossil fuels, the destruction of carbon-sequestering habitats such as forest and swampland, and over-intensive farming and manufacturing. NASA and NOAA found that 2010–19 was the warmest decade on record, with a temperature anomaly of 0.80°C (1.44°F) above the 20th-century average. Based on current trends, global temperatures are predicted to rise by 2–4°C (3.6–7.2°C) by 2100.

What are the best ways to deal with extreme heat?

Extreme heat is a significant health risk, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young infants and those with underlying medical conditions. But people living in hotter regions of the world have for millennia developed methods to counter excessive heat, whether it’s an individual modifying their behaviour (e.g., what they eat or drink) or society adopting more practical routines (e.g., businesses working later into the evening when conditions are cooler). As higher temperatures and intense heatwaves become an increasingly pan-global issue, more and more countries can learn from these already established customs. Much of it comes down to common sense: for example, trying to keep inside or at least out of direct sun during the hottest period of the day; staying well-hydrated; avoiding hot food and drinks; and wearing sunscreen, hats and light clothing to shield the skin. Keeping curtains/blinds drawn and windows closed until the evening when temperatures start to drop can help to keep interiors cooler. Those fortunate enough to have some form of air conditioning will, of course, be better placed to endure extreme heat, but this expensive technology is simply not an option for many people, plus the drain that this energy-intensive solution puts on national power grids – and ultimately on the environment – raises questions around its long-term viability.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the hottest place in the world where humans live?

Human ingenuity, use of tools and ability to adapt have enabled us to inhabit among the hottest (and coldest) places on Earth; this is particularly the case should there be resources or, in more recent times, profit to be gained. As such, in the 20th century, a small mining colony was established in the inhospitable volcanic landscape of Dallol, Ethiopia, to extract minerals like salt and sulphur. As already discussed, over a six-year period where data was collected (1960–66), the average daily maximum temperature in this part of the Danakil Depression was 41.1°C (106°F). However this small town has now been abandoned for many decades. People do currently reside, however, in Death Valley (see below) in California, USA – site of the hottest single temperature officially recognized – 56.7°C (134°F) in 1913 – as well as, in more recent times, the hottest average month on record: 42.3­°C (108.1°F), in July 2018.

Who lives in Death Valley?

The Native American Timbisha Shoshone community have roots in this region of the Mojave Desert that stretch back more than a millennium, though today only several dozen live year-round within the boundaries of Death Valley National Park. Several hundred employees live and work in and around the Furnace Creek area, mostly for the National Park Service visitor centre (where today’s official temperature readings are logged) and a handful of tourist hotels, such as The Oasis.

Why is Death Valley so hot?

As with most super-hot locations, Death Valley sits far inland and at a low elevation – actually situated 86 m (282 ft) below sea level. However, it’s a bit of an outlier in that its latitude of 36.5° N means that it’s positioned well outside the tropical zone; the Equator is some 4,000 km (2,500 mi) south. Counteracting this comparatively northerly position is the region’s local topography. A long and deep depression bordered on both sides by steep mountains means that heat gets trapped in the base. The super-arid valley floor (several mountain ranges standing between Death Valley and the sea, preventing most rain from reaching here, are the cause of the very dry conditions) mean that there is very little plant cover. This results in most of the intense sunlight being absorbed directly by the rocky features and desert floor, which in turn radiate this heat back out into the ground-level air.

What is the number 1 hottest country?

According to average annual temperature data collated from 1991 to 2020 by the Climatic Research Unit (based at the University of East Anglia, UK), currently the two closest contenders for the title of hottest country are Burkina Faso and Mali. Both of these landlocked West African nations have average yearly temperatures above 29.2°C (84.5°F).

What is the hottest day ever recorded?

Early indications suggest that 22 July 2024 was the hottest day worldwide on record, with a global average temperature of 17.16°C (62.88°F) according to the European Union’s Copernicus climate-monitoring body. This surpassed a record set just the day before: 17.09°C (62.76°F) on 21 July 2024. Prior to this, the hottest day had been logged the year prior: 17.08°C (62.74°F) on 6 July 2023.

What is the hottest temperature ever recorded in the ocean?

In August 2008, an international team of scientists announced they had recorded water at a temperature of 464°C (867°F) spewing from a hydrothermal vent on the ocean floor 3,000 m (9,842.5 ft) deep at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Above 407°C at this depth water becomes “supercritical” and lighter than normal water. The water at the “black smoker” vent, heated by magma close to the crust at sites between tectonic plates like this, was measured using sensors on a remote-controlled robot.

What is the temperature of lightning?

Technically, the hottest place on Earth (for a very brief period) is not a single location but the air around any lightning strike. For a fraction of a second, this air is heated to approximately 30,000°C (54,032°F); that’s roughly five times hotter than the surface of the Sun! This extreme heating is enough to split oxygen-nitrogen molecules that form the bulk of air, resulting in some reconfiguring into ozone (O3), which is what creates that distinctive metallic/chlorine-like smell often noticeable after a thunderstorm.

Find out more about extreme weather records including input from GWR’s meteorology consultant Dr Randall Cerveny, who is the Rapporteur on Extreme Records for the United Nations/World Meteorological Organization.