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Freezing Cold in the Hottest Place on Earth [Explore]

Death Valley is a place of extremes. About two weeks ago (August 16, 2020), the temperature at the Furnace Creek weather station was recorded at 54.5° C (130.1°F). If verified it will set a new record for the highest atmospheric temperature ever recorded on this planet.

 

When I visited however, in December 2018, and made this image just an hour after sunrise, the temperature was about 3.33°C (38°F) with a consistent breeze blowing across the basin.

 

To me, the most amazing thing about Death Valley National Park is not the extreme temperature swings, but the diversity of the desert environment. From the salt flats of Badwater Basin, to the peaks of the Panamint Range featured here, from the dunes in Mesquite Flats to the colorful canyons in the Amargosa Range and Grapevine Mountains. Vibrant colors and textures abound, but sometimes the best images are those that leave the beauty to the imagination.

 

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#77 ⭐ August 30, 2020

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Uploaded on August 30, 2020
Taken on December 18, 2018