Sky-high temperatures expected this holiday weekend at world's tallest thermometer
The world's tallest thermometer will show a sky-high temperature through Labor Day weekend as the virtual mercury soars close to the highest level of 2022.
The thermometer is located in the aptly-named Baker, California, around the halfway point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in the Mojave Desert. The temperature gauge stands 134 feet tall, reminiscent of the world-record 134 degrees Fahrenheit set in nearby Death Valley on July 10, 1913 -- an extreme temperature that still stands as the highest temperature ever observed on the planet.
For residents of the southwestern United States, the seemingly non-storm heat waves are getting old.
"I don't know what's going on, but this heat wave is getting to us," Nevada resident Ruben Garcia told AFP as the massive thermometer displayed 110 F over his shoulder.
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The temperature approached 110 F at the world's tallest thermometer in Baker, California, on Aug. 31, 2022. (AFP) |
Shary Walker, a tourist visiting from Hawaii, stopped to see the thermometer on the final day of August and was enjoying the heat -- at least at first.
"It's actually not too bad yet," Walker said, as the thermometer behind her read 104 degrees. "Ask me in about another half an hour, and I'll probably be dying to get back into the air conditioning."
The temperature is predicted to come within a few ticks of 115 degrees over Labor Day weekend in Baker, meaning that people stopping to get a picture with the roadside attraction may want to do so with haste so they are not out in the scorching heat for too long.
The holiday weekend is forecast to give Baker its hottest day all summer. According to AccuWeather's data, the highest temperature in the town this summer was 109 degrees on July 16.
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Visitors drive through the town of Baker, California, with the world's tallest thermometer in the background, in this January 2000 file photo. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) |
The weekend heat will not be contained to just the Mojave Desert. California has proclaimed a State of Emergency due to the anticipated heat, with the majority of California and southern Nevada under an excessive heat warning.
California officials are expecting additional strain on the region's power grid due to the heat and have asked owners of electric cars to avoid charging them during peak hours. They have also asked Californians to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits, to conserve energy.
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Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth, is poised to set a new all-time September temperature record, ousting the old record of 125 degrees. However, the famous temperature display outside of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center could show an inflated temperature closer to 130 degrees.
Thermometers that are commonly seen at banks, on vehicle dashboards and even next to the visitor center in Death Valley are not always accurate, especially during a sunny summer day.
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People take selfies at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center thermometer Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Death Valley National Park, California. (AP Photo/John Locher) |
"Thermometers should not be exposed to direct sunlight," the Department of Meteorology at Penn State University said on its website. "To truly measure air temperature, a thermometer should be in the shade, where the temperature of the thermometer itself should be the same as the air temperature."
If a thermometer is in the sun or located very close to a parking lot, it can display a temperature that is several degrees higher than the actual temperature.
The accuracy of these outdoor thermometers tends to increase as night falls when the sun is not artificially boosting temperature readings.
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