Unofficial news report in print and online media of scorching temperatures close to 70 degrees Celsius on Monday, may not be fully accurate.
Daily temperatures quoted by meteorological stations is based on standard measuring conditions for air temperature at a height of 1.5 meters above the ground, and shielded from direct sunlight. The temperature on the ground could exceed the heat measured in the air by 30 to 50air temperatures. Ground temperatures could exceed air temperatures by as much as 30 to 50°C. What was measured on Monday was probably the ground temperature and in direct sunlight.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the highest air temperature recorded on Earth was 56.7 °C (134.1 °F) on 10 July, 1913 in the United States at the Death Valley desert in California. The earlier record of 57.8 recorded in Aziziya, Libya on 13 September, 1922, was disproved based on persuasive evidence in 2012.
The current record temperature is being questioned by some meteorologists who allege that the readings were influenced by a sandstorm in the desert at the time of the measurement. If the 1913 record is also found inaccurate, then the next highest recorded temperature is 54.0°C measured, both in Death Valley desert on 20 June, 2013, and at the weather station in Mitribah, northwest Kuwait, on 21 July 2016.
So, while Kuwait is among the hottest place on Earth, at least with regard to temperature, it still had a long way to go on Monday when the official temperature recorded was a relatively mild 45°C. But summer has not reached its peak this year, and we can always hope!
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