Death Valley was the hottest place on the planet in July. So how hot was it?

Anyone considering a visit Death Valley National Park should know the desert park set a new scorching heat record. In July, the average temperature was 108.1 degrees — the second year the park broke the monthly heat record.

So how hot was it?

The park announced Wednesday that the extreme heat reached a high of 127 degrees four days in a row. Daytime highs hit 120 degrees or more on all but one of the last 18 days of July (the high on July 21 dipped to 115 degrees).

And you can forget about it cooling down at night.

“Temperatures didn’t drop below 100 [degrees] ten nights in July,” the announcement said. “Those ‘low’ temperatures are usually around 5 a.m., and temperatures soar again as the sun rises.”

If you’re planning to visit, don’t expect a break in the weather anytime soon. Daytime high temperatures are predicted to reach at least 120 degrees through Saturday, the announcement.

For those who plan to go to experience the blistering heat, park officials recommend “drinking plenty of water, eating snacks, limiting exercise or activities outside of air-conditioning, and visiting viewpoints at higher elevations, like Dante’s View,” which is at 5,475 feet.

The heat contributed to the death of 57-year-old hiker Peter Rhoad from Huntington Beach. In mid-July, he fell while hiking to Panamint Butte, the announcement said.

Death Valley claimed the same heat record last year too. The National Weather Service reported that the park broke a 100-year-old record for the hottest July. The average was 107.4 degrees, which topped a 1917 record of 107.2 degrees.

So maybe you should make plans to visit in winter. November through February, when average highs are 77 degrees and 73 degrees respectively.

Info: Death Valley National Park

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