What is the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth?

The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth is 134°F (56.7°C), which was recorded on July 10, 1913, in Furnace Creek (Greenland Ranch), Death Valley, California, USA. This temperature was recorded during a heat wave that lasted from May through September of that year, with temperatures reaching as high as 127°F (52.7°C) in other locations in Death Valley. This temperature is considered to be the highest temperature ever reliably recorded on the surface of Earth.

The previous record of 136°F (57.8°C) was set in Libya in 1922, but was determined to be unreliable due to the equipment and methods used to measure the temperature at the time. Since the record-breaking temperature was set in 1913, there have been several attempts to break the record, but none have been successful. In 2012, a temperature of 129.2°F (54.0°C) was recorded in Death Valley, making it the second-highest temperature ever recorded.

The highest temperature ever recorded in an area outside of Death Valley was 129°F (53.9°C) in Mitribah, Kuwait, in 2016. The highest temperature recorded in the Northern Hemisphere was 128.7°F (53.7°C) in Tirat Tsvi, Israel, in 1942. The highest temperature ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere was 122°F (50°C) in Oodnadatta, Australia, in 1960.

The record-breaking temperature of 134°F (56.7°C) in Death Valley is an extreme example of the effects of the greenhouse effect. The location of Death Valley, which is surrounded by mountains and has a dry climate, makes it particularly prone to high temperatures. As global temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, it is likely that temperatures in Death Valley, and other areas of the world, will continue to increase and break records.