warm summer breeze in the Sahara....

[Richard Washington]

Nice and warm in the central Sahara at the moment....57 degrees in Adrar


A heat wave in southern Algeria with temperatures soaring to 57°C has killed at least 12 people in the past six weeks, local health authorities said on Tuesday.

Legislators from the region are to table a draft law in parliament to change the working hours in the south, from 8.00am to 4.00pm currently to 7.00am until noon.

(http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click...4B242&set_id=1)

[Sam Rutherford]

The hottest recorded temperature ever on earth was in Libya on September 13, 1922, which was 58°C. It is exceptionally rare for the ambient temperature anywhere to exceed 50°C, let alone reach 57°C.

Maybe another record in the offfing?

Sam.

[Richard Washington]

I hadn't realised the Libyan record had stood for so long. There may be a bit of media in the 57 degrees reported at Adrar (in other words an unofficial thermometer near the outlet of Adrar's only dry cleaning unit). But on the other hand GLOBAL average temps have risen by 0.6 degrees over the twentieth century, the 1990s were the warmest decade in the series and the the warmest two years of the entire series have been 2002 and 1998. The nine warmest years globally have now occurred in the 1990s and 2000s. Of all the places on earth, the arid regions have warmed the most.

So that Libyan record probably won't stand for much longer....

[Budrinna]

The Libyan record had stood for so long because it is related and reported at an inhabited place, El Azizia.

During last years highest temperature of 57 degrees have been registered both Libya and Algeria but are not considered for this target.

[dwair]

Funny thing about official temperatures.....an amateur meteorologist mate of mine working in Saudi recorded an ambient temp of just over 61 deg’ last week outside his house in Ryhiad.... but as the king decreed that if the temp ever gets over 55 its a public holiday, it never seems to reach more than 54.5. Local rumours suggest the “official” thermometer is kept in a fridge in the palace basement....

------------------
http://www.saharanexploration.co.uk

[Budrinna]

The homologation of the " El Azizia Hottest place in world " 58 degree is a matter of official rules still alive.
Strange but true, read ( italian) :

www.nimbus.it/liguria/rlm04/climatologia/ analisi_climatiche.htm -

[jacarandablue]

48 in Phoenix, AZ yesterday and I was thinking I'd much rather be in the Sahara.