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Measuring conditions[edit]
The standard measuring conditions for temperature are in the air, 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) above the
ground, and shielded from direct sunlight intensity (hence the term, x degrees "in the shade").[2] The
following lists include all officially confirmed claims measured by those methods.
Temperatures measured directly on the ground may exceed air temperatures by 30 to 50 C (54 to
90 F).[2] A ground temperature of 84 C (183.2 F) has been recorded in Port Sudan, Sudan.[3] A
ground temperature of 93.9 C (201.0 F) was recorded in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California,
United States on 15 July 1972; this may be the highest natural ground surface temperature ever
recorded.[4] The theoretical maximum possible ground surface temperature has been estimated to be
between 90 and 100 C (194 and 212 F) for dry, darkish soils of low thermal conductivity.[5]
Satellite measurements of ground temperature taken between 2003 and 2009, taken with
the MODIS infrared spectroradiometer on the Aqua satellite, found a maximum temperature of
70.7 C (159.3 F), which was recorded in 2005 in the Lut Desert, Iran. The Lut Desert was also
found to have the highest maximum temperature in 5 of the 7 years measured (2004, 2005, 2006,
2007 and 2009). These measurements reflect averages over a large region and so are lower than
the maximum point surface temperature.[2]
Satellite measurements of the surface temperature of Antarctica, taken between 1982 and 2013,
found a coldest temperature of 93.2 C (135.8 F) on 10 August 2010, at 81.8S 59.3E. Although
this is not comparable to an air temperature, it is believed that the air temperature at this location
would have been lower than the official record lowest air temperature of 89.2 C (128.6 F).[6][7]
Heat[edit]
Highest temperatures ever recorded[edit]
Main article: Highest temperature recorded on Earth
A world map showing areas with Kppen BWh(hot desert climate). The temperatures in these regions have the
potential to exceed 50 C (122 F) during the hottest seasons.
There are reports of temperatures higher than the listed world record of 56.7 C (134.1 F) during
phenomena known as heat bursts, including a report of 87 C (189 F) in Abadan, Iran in June 1967.
There are also reports made by satellite analysis, including one of 66.8 C (152.2 F) measured in
the Flaming Mountains of China in 2008.[8] These temperatures have never been confirmed, and are
not recognized as world records.[9] The former highest official temperature on Earth, held for 90 years
by Aziziya, Libya, was de-certified by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) in January
2012 as the record for the world's highest surface temperature. (This temperature of 58 C (136 F),
registered on 13 September 1922, is currently considered to have been a recorder's error.[10])
Christopher C. Burt, the weather historian writing for Weather Underground who shepherded the
Libya reading's 2012 disqualification, believes that the 1913 Death Valley reading is "a myth", and is
at least 2.2 or 2.8 C (4 or 5 F) too high.[11] Burt proposes that the highest reliably recorded
temperature on Earth is still at Death Valley, but is instead 54.0 C (129.2 F) recorded on 30 June
2013.[12] 53.9 C (129.0 F) was recorded another four times: 20 July 1960, 18 July 1998, 20 July
2005, and 7 July 2007.[13][14] On 21 July 2016, Mitribah in Kuwait also recorded a maximum
temperature of 54.0 C (129.2 F), tying Death Valley's highest reliably recorded temperature on
Earth, while Basra in Iraq reached 53.9 C (129.0 F) that day.[15] On 29 June 2017, the air at the
airport of Ahvaz in Iran reached 54.0 C (129.2 F) as well.[16] In a second part to his analysis, he
gave a list of 11 other occasions in which temperatures of 52.8 C (127.0 F) or more were reliably
measured as well as the highest reliably measured temperatures on each continent.[17]
By continent[edit]
Africa [notes 1][edit]
Antarctica[edit]
Asia[edit]
Ahwaz 29 June
Iran 54 C (129 F)
Airport (OIAW) 2017 [17][40][16]
54.0 C
Israel Tirat Zvi 21 June 1942[42]
(129.2 F) *
54.0 C 21 July
Kuwait Mitribah
(129.2 F) 2016[40][41][notes 2]
Country/Region Temperature Town/Location Date
53.9 C
Iraq Basra 22 July 2016[40][41]
(129.0 F)
26 May 2010[52][53]
53.5 C Mohenjo-Daro
Pakistan 28 May
(128.3 F) Turbat
2017[51][notes 3]
52.0 C
Saudi Arabia Jeddah 23 June 2010[56]
(125.6 F)
51.0 C
India Phalodi, Rajasthan 19 May 2016[38]
(123.8 F)
6 September
Jordan 50 C (122 F) ?
2002[44]
50.5 C
China Erbao Township, Turpan, Xinjiang 10 July 2017[37]
(122.9 F)
50.4 C
Qatar Doha 14 July 2010[21]
(122.7 F)
49.9 C
Afghanistan Farah August 2009[31]
(121.8 F)
49.4 C
Syria ? ?[59]
(120.9 F)
48.8 C
Turkey Mardin-Kocatepe (tr) (Kzltepe) 14 August 1993[61]
(119.8 F)
47.2 C
Myanmar Myinmu 14 May 2010[48][49]
(117.0 F)
46.0 C
Nepal Chisapani ?[50]
(114.8 F)
45.1 C
Bangladesh Rajshahi 30 May 1972[34]
(113.2 F)
44.6 C
Thailand Mae Hong Son 28 April 2016[36]
(112.3 F)
44.0 C
Kyrgyzstan ? ?[45]
(111.2 F)
44.0 C
Mongolia Khongor, Darkhan-Uul Province 24 July 1999[47]
(111.2 F)
43.7 C 1 August
Armenia Meghri
(110.7 F) 2011[32][33]
30 May
42.7 C
Vietnam Con Cuong/Tuong Duong (tied) 2015[22]/12 May
(108.9 F)
1966[66]
Country/Region Temperature Town/Location Date
42.6 C
Cambodia Preah Vihea 15 April 2016[36]
(108.7 F)
42.3 C
Laos Seno 12 April 2016[36]
(108.1 F)
42.3 C
Russia (Siberia) Belogorsk, Amur Oblast 12 July 2010[55]
(108.1 F)
41.0 C
Japan Shimanto, Kchi 12 August 2013[43]
(105.8 F)
40.1 C
Malaysia Chuping 9 April 1998[46]
(104.2 F)
40.0 C
South Korea Daegu 1 August 1942[58]
(104.0 F)
December 2006 /
39.5 C Jatiwangi, Cirebon, West Java /
Indonesia 27 October
(103.1 F) Semarang, Central Java
2015[39]
United Kingdom
48.0 C
Greece Athens 10 July 1977[81]
(118.4 F)
47.4 C
Portugal Amareleja, Beja 1 August 2003[100]
(117.3 F)
47.0 C
Italy Foggia, Apulia [notes 5] 25 June 2007[86][87]
(116.6 F)
46.0 C
Azerbaijan Julfa and Ordubad ?[68]
(114.8 F)
45.7 C
Macedonia Demir Kapija, Demir Kapija 24 July 2007[90][91]
(114.3 F)
Country/Region Temperature Town/Location Date
45.6 C
Cyprus Lefkoniko 1 August 2010[74]
(114.1 F)
45.4 C
Russia (in Europe) Utta, Kalmykia 12 July 2010[102]
(113.7 F)
45.2 C
Bulgaria Sadovo, Plovdiv Province 5 August 1916[72]
(113.3 F)
44.9 C Smederevska
Serbia 24 July 2007[103]
(112.8 F) Palanka, Podunavlje
44.5 C 10 August
Romania Ion Sion, Brila County
(112.1 F) 1951[101]
43.8 C 9 August
Malta Malta International Airport
(110.8 F) 1999[92][93]
42.8 C
Croatia Ploe 5 August 1981[73]
(109.0 F)
42.4 C
Moldova Falesti 7 August 2012[94]
(108.3 F)
42.0 C 12 August
Ukraine Luhansk
(107.6 F) 2010[109]
Country/Region Temperature Town/Location Date
41.9 C
Hungary Kiskunhalas 20 July 2007[82]
(107.4 F)
41.5 C 11 August
Switzerland Grono, Moesa District
(106.7 F) 2003[108]
40.8 C
Slovenia Cerklje ob Krki 8 August 2013[105]
(105.4 F)
40.5 C
Austria Bad Deutsch-Altenburg 8 August 2013[67]
(104.9 F)
40.3 C
Slovakia Hurbanovo 20 July 2007[104]
(104.5 F)
40.2 C
Poland Proskau [notes 6] 29 July 1921[99]
(104.4 F)
38.9 C
Belarus Gomel 7 August 2010[21]
(102.0 F)
38.8 C
Belgium Uccle 27 June 1947[69][70]
(101.8 F)
38.6 C
Netherlands Warnsveld 23 August 1944[96]
(101.5 F)
Country/Region Temperature Town/Location Date
38.5 C 10 August
England Faversham, Kent
(101.3 F) 2003[110]
37.8 C
Latvia Ventspils 4 August 2014[88]
(100.0 F)
Knockarevan, County
30 June 1976 /
Northern Ireland 30.8 C (87.4 F) Fermanagh /
12 July 1983[110]
Belfast, County Antrim (tied)
Country/Region Temperature Town/Location Date
Dominican 43.0 C
Mao 31 August 1954[116]
Republic (109.4 F)
40.0 C
Panama San Francisco 20 March 1998[121]
(104.0 F)
38.8 C
Cuba Jucarito (Granma Province) 17 April 1999[115]
(101.8 F)
12 September
Anguilla 34.2 C (93.6 F) The Valley
2015[22]
23 June
Greenland 30.1 C (86.2 F) Ivigtut
1915[117][118][119]
50.7 C 2 January
Australia Oodnadatta, South Australia
(123.3 F) 1960[124][125][126]
24 December
Samoa 35.3 C (95.5 F) Asau
1968[128]
Honiara, Guadalcanal
Solomon Islands 36.1 C (97.0 F) 1 February 2010[21]
Province
Paysand, Paysand
Uruguay 44.0 C (111.2 F) 20 January 1943[135][136]
Department