What it feels like to visit Death Valley
101,196
Published 2024-07-09
Associated Press journalist Ty ONeil explained that even though he grew up in the desert, "this is a different level of heat."
French, Spanish, English and Swiss tourists left their air-conditioned rental cars and motorhomes to take photographs of the barren landscape so different than the snow-capped mountains and rolling green hills they know back home.
“Just because the sun sets doesn't mean it really cools down. I was out till about 12:30 a.m. last night and it never dropped below 100 F (38 C)," ONeil added.
American adventurers liked the novelty of it, even as officials at the park in California warned visitors to stay safe.
“First of all my voice got really raspy right away when I walked outside, and you can feel it in your eyes and usually a breeze is cool, said Drew Belt, a resident of Tupelo, Mississippi, who wanted to stop in Death Valley as the place boasting the lowest elevation in the U.S. on his way to climb California’s Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states.
"This is not a cool breeze whatsoever.”
The early U.S. heat wave came as the global temperature in June was record warm for the 13th straight month and marked the 12th straight month that the world was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial times, the European climate service Copernicus said.
All Comments (21)
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Motorcyclist dies from heat exposure as temperature reaches 128 in Death Valley - www.10tv.com/article/news/nation-world/tourists-fl…
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Y’all, Death Valley in January is beautiful and the weather is very nice during the day. No need to struggle in hot weather to view the sites. My husband and I camped there December-January and it was one of our most memorable trips!
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That’s why it’s named Death Valley 😊
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I was in Las Vegas somehow on three different record heat days and it's a short drive to Death Valley and Furnace Creek... It feels like the rush of air when you stick a pizza in a very hot oven. Except, it's on your entire body and you can't move around to escape it. The wind is hotter than the stagnant air somehow. The moisture from your eyes, nose, and mouth starts to dry up immediately and if you're not carrying water it's all you can think about.
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OMG. I camped at Death Valley over a decade ago, that visitor center sign read 120, ate a good breakfast, drank loads of water and Gatorade, toured the sites and that salt flat, and had to turn back when exiting the park to go get sick in the ranger station located in that visitor center/gift shop. It was just so hot. Kind ranger told me you can sometimes drink so much water you flush electrolytes out of your system, I don’t know but I couldn’t stave off the heat sickness. Sounds like Jan is the month to go :)
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Would never go to a place called death valley
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When I first visited Death Valley, 61 years ago, it was in summer and our car had no AC.
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Looks like a good place to go hiking without a map right before dark.
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Scary heat!😮
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Shout out to all the field workers from death valley performing physical labor in this heat for minimum wage!!
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wheres your HAT?
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Name says it all
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I remember being on a flightline in Iraq, and the thermometer said 138 degrees. But metal shipping containers and asphalt everywhere was probably adding to it.
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it’s open in the winter too ( hint hint )
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I was there when the thermometer hit 131 yesterday. Everyone was crowded around it I could barely take a picture but was able to take one where you can slightly see it. Super hot
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I'm in need of your prayers and positive energy. Please keep me in your thoughts.
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That’s where The Undertaker is from!
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We halfway between Baghdad and Basra. Same temperatures here and half the day we work outside wearing body armor. Basra slightly warmer and it has that humidity that slaps you hard in the face and squeezes your lungs.
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Phoenix is *hotter, when the sun sets in Death Valley the temps drop....when the sun sets in Phoenix the concrete, asphalt, cars sheet metal, plaster homes are over 180F and the temps are unbearable at 1 a.m., 5 a.m., 7 a.m., known as heat island. Dirt (the desert) doesn't can't hold heat in Death Valley, yet bricks, 4000lb chunks of metal (known as cars), and roads contain huge thermo loads so Phoenix doesn't cool at night. *Phoenix is hotter over all, Death Valley hits a higher high, but only by a tiny bit, yet cools....Phoenix's heat doesn't chill out as the concrete is 120F+ at midnight and you can't even walk bare foot to get the mail at night as every square inch is radiating heat like a hot potato outta the oven.
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It feels like living in Phoenix.
