Monday December 31, 2012, 1:41 pm
Science News
U.N. changes hottest-day-on-record date

Published: Dec. 29, 2012 at 5:23 PM

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The U.N. climate agency has changed the world's hottest day on record from Sept. 13, 1922, in Libya, to July 10, 1913, in California's Death Valley.

The World Meteorological Organization, the climate agency of the United Nations, announced the change Sept. 11 but the announcement failed to make headlines because of the shooting of American diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, The New York Times reported.

Instead of the world's hottest day being Sept. 13, 1922 in Al Aziziyah -- when a 136.4-degree temperature was recorded -- the record is a 134-degree reading registered July 10, 1913, at Greenland Ranch.

Christopher C. Burt, a meteorologist with Weather Underground, cited a number of reasons for questioning the Libyan reading.

"The more we looked at it, the more obvious it appeared to be an error," Burt said.

Burt brought his evidence to the attention of the WMO, which in turn set up a committee of 13 climatologists, which included Burt, to investigate the dispute.

"There are a lot of places that do like these records," Randall S. Cerveny, a geology professor at Arizona State University, who was also on the committee, said. "It can be a source of pride for that country or a source of contention for other countries. Politics unfortunately is going to play a role sometime in the determining of these records."

After a yearlong investigation, hampered by the Libyan revolution, the committee determined the record was incorrect, citing questionable instruments, an inexperienced observer who made the reading and the fact that the reading was abnormal for that region and other temperatures reported in Libya that day.

"The WMO assessment is that the highest recorded surface temperature of 56.7 degrees C [134 degrees Fahrenheit] was measured on July 10, 1913" in Death Valley, a report from the committee said.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2012/12/29/UN-changes-hottest-day-on-record-date/UPI-73121356819824/#ixzz2GfUBdqXf

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 5:16 am
Thanks

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 1:51 pm
You are welcome Bob.

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 3:51 pm
noted, thanks !

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 4:15 pm
You are welcome Roger!

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 6:36 pm
(flagged the spam)

And yet....plants and animals live in Death Valley! Adaptation of species is just AMAZING!

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 6:49 pm
ty

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 6:55 pm
Thanks Pam. So true. You cannot currently send a star to pam because you have done so within the last week.
You are welcome a y.

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 7:24 pm
Agree with pam w., and thank you.

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 8:04 pm
You are welcome LMjYou cannot currently send a star to LMj because you have done so within the last week.

Wednesday January 2, 2013, 6:01 am
Thanks.

Wednesday January 2, 2013, 6:31 am
Some plants may be able to cope with this temperature but not many animals could except perhaps reptiles. That is HOT!

Wednesday January 2, 2013, 9:01 am
interesting, thanks....

Wednesday January 2, 2013, 9:01 am
Wow that is hot....thanks for sharing!!

Wednesday January 2, 2013, 9:13 am
You are welcome Tanya, Dave and Hayley. You cannot currently send a star to Suzanne because you have done so within the last week.