The heat is close to unbearable in much of Southern California, but if you’re a weather history buff, at least there’s a silver lining. Death Valley may break its own record for hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
The current record for the highest reliably measured temperature is 130, set at Death Valley in August 2020 and July 2021, according to Scientific American.
That temperature could be reached again on Monday or Tuesday, with probabilities hovering in the 20-to-25% range.
For comparison, 131 degrees will cook sous vide a sirloin or ribeye to medium-rare in two hours, according to the Daily Beast.
To be fair, temperatures of 134 and 136 have been recorded, though issues with the instruments used have cast some doubt on those readings, making an official measurement of 130 degrees the widely accepted record.
However, if you’re taking this possibly history-making moment as a reason to check out Death Valley during the heat wave, don’t. You could find yourself beyond help.
“Temperatures will be so blistering that rescue helicopters will not be allowed to fly,” the Daily Beast reports.