Death Valley hits 130 degrees as temperature records fall across California

A Southern Californian thermometer at Death Valley's Furnace Creek reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday, per the National Weather Service (NWS).

Why it matters: If verified, it would be Earth's hottest recorded temperature since at least 1931, the most scorching August day on record and the third-highest temperature ever recorded, per the Washington Post. Records were broken across California over the weekend, as the heat wave triggered wildfires and rolling power outages.

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Per the climate data in xmACIS2, this is the first time since 1913 that Death Valley has reached 130F. In July 2013, it last reached 129F. If valid, it would be the hottest August temperature at the site by 3F. @NWSVegas pic.twitter.com/gZNBW4NXI4

— NWS WPC (@NWSWPC) August 16, 2020

Of note: The highest temperature ever recorded on Earth was considered to be at Death Valley in 1913, when a reading of 134°F was observed. But analysis by climate experts in 2016 found this was "essentially not possible from a meteorological perspective."

Yes, but: Randy Cerveny, who heads the World Meteorological Organization's weather and climate extremes team, told WashPost, the latest observation seemed "legitimate."

• "I am recommending that the World Meteorological Organisation preliminarily accept the observation," Cerveny added.

The big picture: The NWS said temperature records were set in several other places in California on Sunday, including in Palmdale and Lancaster airports (both hit 111°F) and LAX International Airport (93°F) — and Paso Robles Airport tied its record for the month at 114°F.

• "Blistering, widespread excessive heat" has struck across the western U.S., the NWS' Weather Prediction Center notes.

"Storms with abundant lightning from Nevada/eastern California northeastward through southwestern Montana is expected to start new fires or increase fire activity. Isolated severe storms capable of strong wind gusts are expected across parts of eastern Oregon into far southwest Idaho and southern Arizona."

NWS Weather Prediction Center

Looking ahead to later this week and next weekend, dangerous heat is forecast to remain locked in across the southwestern United States. Meanwhile, comfortable high temperatures in the 70s and 80s will be found from the Midwest to Northeast. Autumn is only 36 days away! pic.twitter.com/y0OYASQAsX

— NWS WPC (@NWSWPC) August 16, 2020

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more details throughout.