Record temperatures in Death Valley National Park are suspected to have killed a motorcyclist and hospitalized another on Saturday.
The unidentified motorcyclist is believed to have died of heat stroke, while four others from the same group were treated for “heat stress” on Saturday. according to According to NBC News, the group was running near Badwater Basin, where temperatures reached an “unbelievable” 121°F as of 10pm over the weekend. according to To meteorologist Colin McCarthy.
National Park Service issued An “extreme heat” warning has been issued, urging visitors not to hike after 10 a.m. as temperatures are expected to reach 100°F to 130°F. share According to data from the park’s unofficial thermometer online, the 130°F mark could already be reached in 2024.
It’s an unusually hot night in Death Valley tonight, with the temperature reaching 121°F (49.4°C) as of 10pm.
The heat at night was mind-boggling. pic.twitter.com/1hWycVCPPP
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 8, 2024
Here’s the thermometer at the Death Valley Visitor Center at 4pm today. This will dry your sweat in a matter of seconds. Note that this is not the “official” thermometer. The official thermometer recorded a high of 128 degrees today. Photo by Debbie Hadsock. pic.twitter.com/WZoJUM2E3d
— Kevin Janison (@KevinJanison) July 7, 2024
A motorcyclist visiting Death Valley National Park died of heatstroke Saturday after temperatures reached 128 degrees Fahrenheit. The other motorcyclist was taken to a Las Vegas hospital with “severe heatstroke,” according to park officials. The two were part of a group from… pic.twitter.com/5h9zbPaPT3
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) July 8, 2024
Temperatures in Death Valley were predicted to reach more than 131°F in 2023, but they wouldn’t reach the record-breaking numbers. according to CBS News: Some claim the highest temperature ever recorded is 134°F, recorded at Furnace Creek in Death Valley in July 1913. Experts dispute this measurement, with most relying on a 2021 high of 130°F. (Related article: Veteran Marine found dead in Death Valley)
NBC News noted that the surrounding air, about 99 degrees Fahrenheit, isn’t very cool for humans, suggesting that the riders in Death Valley were in extremely dangerous conditions. The temperature, combined with the protective gear that motorcyclists typically wear, likely contributed to this situation.
