In August 2020, the United Kingdom experienced an unprecedented heatwave with temperatures soaring to 42°C (108°F). This heatwave was part of a larger pattern that gripped Europe, causing wildfires in France, Spain, and Portugal.
The highest recorded temperature in Europe stands at 48°C (119°F), set in Athens, Greece, in 1977. However, Sicily, Italy, reported a scorching 48.8°C (120°F) on August 11, 2021. If verified by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), this would break Europe’s record.
Beyond Europe, several locations are notorious for extreme heat:
1. Furnace Creek, California, United States
Furnace Creek holds the record for the highest air temperature ever recorded. In July 1913, the desert valley reached 56.7°C (134°F), a figure that might be beyond human survival limits. Despite recent debates about its accuracy, Furnace Creek remains a frontrunner, with 54.4°C (130°F) recorded in August 2020. Summer temperatures routinely peak at 47°C (117°F), making it the driest place in the U.S.
2. Ouargla, Algeria
The highest reliably recorded temperature in Africa was 51.3°C (124°F) in Ouargla, Algeria’s Saharan desert, on July 5, 2018. Historical claims of Africa’s hottest temperature include a purported 55°C (131°F) in Kebili, Tunisia, formally the official record, but these were often recorded in harsh conditions during colonial times, casting doubt on their reliability.
3. Mitribah, Kuwait
Mitribah, a remote area in Kuwait’s northwest, hit 53.9°C (129°F) on July 21, 2016. This temperature ranks third highest globally and marks the highest ever recorded in Asia.
(Getty Images/Vetta)
4. Basra, Iraq
Basra International Airport recorded a temperature of 53.9°C (129°F) on July 22, 2016, bringing the heat to new heights.
5. Turbat, Pakistan
Turbat, located in southern Baluchistan, Pakistan, hit 53.7°C (128.6°F) on May 28, 2017, placing it fourth in the list of all-time highest temperatures.
6. Dallol, Ethiopia
Dallol, a salt field with acidic thermal waters and gas geysers, consistently averages 41°C (106°F) throughout the year. Its exceptionally high mean temperature makes it the hottest inhabited place on Earth.
7. Azizia, Libya
Azizia, near Tripoli, Libya, was once known as the world’s hottest inhabited place, with a temperature of 58°C (136°F) recorded in 1922. In 2012, this reading was invalidated for several reasons, including a lack of expertise in the measuring process. Although no longer holding the title, Azizia commonly exceeds 48°C (118°F) during summer.
(Getty Images)
8. Quriyat, Oman
In Oman, Quriyat recorded history’s highest nocturnal temperature on June 26, 2018. The nighttime low was 42.6°C (108.6°F), surpassing the previous Omani record of 41.9°C (107.4°F).
9. Dasht-e Loot, Iran
This Iranian desert plateau holds the record for the highest surface temperature measured on Earth. Satellite measurements taken between 2003 and 2009 found ground temperatures of up to 70.7°C (159°F).
