The heat here is simply awesome. Death Valley on average
is the hottest place in the world and July is the hottest month of the
year. Its that simple - this valley can "cook". Names such as Stovepipe
Wells, Furnace Creek, Devils Golf Course and Hells Gate are a dead
giveaway as to the types of temperatures this valley experiences.
Historically July is the hottest month of the year. Seasons are turned
around compared to typical California seasons. For most places in
California the height of the tourist season is in the summer - not so in
Death Valley. Here campgrounds close, the crowds diminish, and the
valley's main resort is locked up. Historically for you heat lovers the
hottest summers in Death Valley are those that follow the rainiest
winters.
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Additional heat related information. In the middle of the summer the night time low
temperatures may not fall below 100 degrees (~ 38C). Try camping out in
those temperatures! This author has done it - its extremely hard to
sleep and you wake up in sweat and you may feel trapped. We were the only ones
at the huge Furnace Creek campground towards the end of July.
The water from the campground faucets and other outdoor water
facilities in the park are almost too hot to use - for drinking
or washing!
--This warning sign means business!! |
If you are looking to be in Death Valley during the absolute hottest
times of the year you should go between the dates of July 10th and
August 1st. Typically the hottest days will peak sometime in mid/late
July although it can be damn hot anytime in July.
Summertime high temperatures in the hottest times of the year often
reach 120 F + during the days (~49 C). The hottest temperature outside
of one place in Libya was recorded at 134 degrees at Furnace Creek (~57
C). The person who recorded that temperature said that swallows were
falling from the sky dead on the ground because it was so hot, and the
wet Turkish headband he wore was dry by the time he took the temperature
and went back into his house. Word has it that the temperature recorded
in Libya was taken in the sun. Temperatures should always be taken in
the shade. In the same grain, it should also be noted that there was a
sandstorm when the 134 degree temperature was taken in Death Valley in
1913 - and there is a possibility that sand could have gotten in the
thermometer and altered the true temperature.
One fine July day in 1918, the low temperature recorded at Furnace creek
was 110 degrees! Imagine trying to camp in that type of weather. There
is no way you would be able to sleep at that temp. Trying to sleep out
doors in 100+ degree weather overnight is hard enough.
When you read the Death Valley temperatures in your newspaper - know
that this temperature is always recorded at Furnace Creek. Badwater, the
lowest point in the western Hemisphere is 18 miles from Furnace creek
and typically has temperatures that are a few degrees hotter than
Furnace Creek. In addition, the west side of Death Valley near and south
of Badwater typically is the hottest area in all of Death Valley.
Simply driving up in elevation will decrease the heat dramatically. For
instance when its in the mid 120's F in Furnace creek Scotty's castle at
about 3000 feet may be only around 110. That is a huge difference
between the mid 120's and 110 degrees.
If you really want to experience the heat, hike out to the sand dunes on
one of the mid 120 degree F days. The heat on the dunes is simply
unbelievable as the sun radiates off all of those minute grains of sand.
Be careful where you put your hands and feet if you are in Death Valley
during these temperatures. Rocks can be way to hot to handle, over 200
degrees F have been measured - and its a good idea not to wear open toed
shoes/sandals into the sand dunes as the sand is unbelievably hot. At
200 degrees F, that is just shy of the boiling point of water at sea
level under normal barometric pressure conditions!
So now you want to go to Death Valley during the height of the summer
temperatures. How do you handle this? First of all, take plenty of water
and sport drinks such as Gatorade. Hiking with a black non see through
umbrella is an absolute must. I cannot say enough for the benefits of
using an umbrella. Take a fairly strong and secure one as sometimes the
desert winds can be fairly strong and its a real pain to have an
umbrella that is constantly blowing inside out. Also note that if you
are outside in the extremely hot weather and there is even a slight
breeze you will have a very hard time realizing that you are in fact sweating
profusely. Its only after you enter a car or building and get out of the
wind that you will find yourself covered in sweat....literally dripping.
Because of this, you need to drink lots of water and sports drinks. I
usually go with a ratio of about 3/4 water and 1/4 sports drinks. Heat
exhaustion or heat stroke can strike quickly and suddenly usually with one or more
of the following symptoms: skin that is cool or cold, sweating, dry
mouth, fatigue or weakness, dizziness, headache, cramping muscles, an
nausea. An excellent source for additional heat related symptoms can be
found here:
www.umm.edu/non_trauma/dehyrat.htm
Be sure your car is in good working condition and all the fluids have
been recently checked. There are road signs indicating you should turn
off your air conditioning when climbing in elevation - newer cars don't
seem to have as much of a problem with over heating as older cars.
Radiator water is located every several miles along some of the more
steep roads in the park.
Also consider doing the majority of your driving at night - and your
sightseeing during the early morning starting with when there is first
light in the sky which in the summer is around 5am. High temperatures
can cause your tires to have a lot of flexibility and you should take
sharp turns in the road slower than normal.
During one visit by this author to Death Valley it reached 127
degrees. This was just a day or two after the temperature at Furnace
creek was recorded at 129. If Furnace Creek reached 129 degrees on that
day, somewhere in Death Valley it was 130 degrees or over. |
