127 degrees: Heat record shattered in Death Valley, with high temperature of 130 in forecast

return2ozma@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 272 points –
127 degrees: Heat record shattered in Death Valley, with high temperature of 130 in forecast
abc7.com
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Yeah, but it's a dry heat.

I don't think people take dry heat seriously. Humid heat is obviously dangerous because you can't sweat the heat out of your body as efficiently, but dry heat at these temperatures feels like walking outside and holding a hair dryer to your skin. It's so fucking hot. You can feel the sun touching your skin like its physically reaching out. You sunburn from 5–15 minutes in the sun without sunblock. And it doesn't cool off either, not really. Temperatures stay in the high 80s and low-to-mid 90s all night. "But it's a dry heat" is really dismissive of how dangerous an unwavering 90–120° is, in this case for weeks on end.

You're right, feels like stepping into an oven, as soon as you're in the sun you feel like you're starting to literally cook. It's awful, and in a city it doesn't cool much so you can't cool off. If heat doesn't get you the first day try the next when you're with down a little.

I'd like to see how a dry heat compares because I've always heard it was better. This past week where I'm at in the states has been terrible, triple digit heat (I think it was 102 on Wednesday) with super high humidity and ridiculous UV levels; the air is thick and like a blanket wrapped around your head the moment you walk outside. Nights have been upper 70's-low 80's, I know it could be worse (thank god for a pool and AC), but this is way hotter than when I grew up.

after dying in greater vancouver region one summer some decade ago, I went to nevada and pet some donkeys or something. The degrees were higher but I wasn't dripping with sweat like in vancouver. The real rain in raincouver was my sweat all along! Actually though its so gross. People regularly ask if I'm crying and if I need to take a break. One of the jobs in the past a customer actually called a manager to ask for them to give me an extra break for working so hard in the heat. I was fine, just looked like I pissed myself, then did a handstand and pissed myself again.

Nah, humidity is the real killer when it comes to heat.

It goes cooler at night....mostly

90° is technically "cooler," yes.

The record low was 15f / -9c. I made the mistake of camping out there without proper gear one winter night. “How cold could it get in the desert?” I thought. Whoops.