Dear Tom,
It used to be that Death Valley was exempt from the daily national temperature extremes as it was usually the hottest. Now that has changed and it is listed as the hottest. Why the change?
–Don Anderson, Elburn
Dear Don,
Nothing has changed, except that it’s summer and Death Valley is broiling. The National Weather Service, which provides the daily listing of national temperature extremes, has strict eligibility guidelines: Only locations in the contiguous 48 states are considered (thus omitting Alaska and Hawaii); the site must lie at an elevation below 8,500 feet (lofty mountains are exempted); the report must come from an area with a population of 1,000 or more. However, if the temperature in a sparsely populated location (like Death Valley) tops 120 degrees, the population requirement is waived.
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