![]() The hottest air temperature ever recorded in Death Valley (Furnace Creek) was 134☏ (57☌) on July 10, 1913. How extreme is Death Valley's weather? Record Temperatures These moving masses of super heated air blow through the valley creating extreme high temperatures. As they descend, they are compressed and heated even more by the low elevation air pressure. These pockets of descending air are only slightly cooler than the surrounding hot air. Heated air rises, yet is trapped by the high valley walls, is cooled and recycled back down to the valley floor. Summer nights provide little relief as overnight lows may only dip into the 85☏ to 95☏ (30☌ to 35☌) range. Heat radiates back from the rocks and soil, then becomes trapped in the valley's depths. The clear, dry air and sparse plant cover allow sunlight to heat the desert surface. ![]() The valley is a long, narrow basin that reaches down to 282 feet (86 m) below sea level, yet is walled by high, steep mountain ranges. The depth and shape of Death Valley influences its summer temperatures. Four major mountain ranges lie between Death Valley and the ocean, each one adding to an increasingly drier rainshadow effect. ![]() By the time the clouds reach the mountains' east side they no longer have as much available moisture, creating a dry "rainshadow". As the clouds rise up they cool and the moisture condenses to fall as rain or snow on the western side of the ranges. Winter storms moving inland from the Pacific Ocean must pass over mountain ranges to continue east. Why is Death Valley's climate so extreme? Why so dry?
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