The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-02-22
HOTTEST
Region In World Is On The
Edge OF Death Valley
(Scientiiic American)

Before attempting to answer the
question, (which is the hottest region
in the world?" it is necessary to de-
fine ones terms. Does this inquiry
refer to the region having the high
est average temperature throughout
the year, or to that in which the high
est temperatures occur at the hottest
season? 1t so happens that the most
remarkable extremes of heat are at
tanned in regions having rather wide
range of temperature, /. e., where it is
not hot all the year around, and hence
where the average temperature for
the year it not abnormally high.
The question stated above is a COM
mon one, and probably in most cases
the person who asks it has in mind
comparison of maximum rather than
mean temperatures. Assuming the
question to be asked from this point
of view, the answer to 1t will no doubt
surprise most American readers. So
far as can be learned from observa-
tions made at regular meteorological
stations, the hottest region in the
world is not in the heart of Africa, or
South America, or even in the torrid
deserts of Asia-but in the United
States of America.
On the eastern edge of Death Val
ley, Cal, a certain borax company has
laid out ranch embracing some 100
acres of irrigated land, on which are
grown alfalfa, fruit and vegetables. AL
though it has been stated on excellent
authority that you canot hold fire
in your hand by thinking of the frosty
Caucasus, the owners of the above
mentioned properly doubtless had an
analogous expedient in view when
they named their estate Greenland
Ranch"
In the spirng of 1911 the Weather
Bureau established cooperative sta
tion at this place. The thermometers
are installed in a standard screen,
| placed over an alfalfa sod, about four
| feet from the ground The shelter is
not exposed to the reflected heat of
the desert. The location is about 17S
feet below sea level
On July 10, 1918, the maximum ther-
mometer at Greenland Ranch register
ed 1874 degrees Fahr the highest,
Shade" temperature ever recorded at
a meteorological station anywhere in
the world, and four degrees above the
moth Tank, also in California, on Au-
gust II, 1885. Outside of the United
States the record" for a regular me-
neurological station appears to be 1877
degrees Fahrenheit, which occurred at
Wargla, Algeria, on the edge of the
Sahara Desert, August 27, 1884.
During the hot spell in which this
extraordinary temperature was meas
ed at Greenland Ranch, the daily max
ina were as follows: Eighth, 1913 de-
gree; 8th, 129 degrees; 1874 degrees;
18th, 129 degrees; 18th, 100 degrees;
18th, 131 degrees, and 14th, 1877 de-
grees. Throughout this frightful hot
wave the temperature never fell be-
low So degrees Fahrenheit
The records made at this station
during the past four years show that
temperatures reaching 100 or more
have occurred on 548 days, and may be
expected at any time from April to
October inclusive; the highest occur
ring in July or August. Temperatures
of 100 or more have been recorded in
May, June, July and August. In July
and August the average daily maxi
mum has always exceeded 110 degrees,
while in July 1911, 1t was III degrees.
In July, 1914, the mean temperature
for the month"; (i. e., half the sum of
the mean maximum and mean mini
mum) was 1915 degrees. Yet Mr.
Wilson tells us that in the lower val
ley bottom highert temperatures un,
doubtedly prevail than at the meteor
illogical station!
Cold weather is not unknown al
Greenland Ranch. Minimum tempera
lures of 80 degrees (freezing) or be
low have been recorded in November
December, January and February. Or
January 8, 1918, the temperature fel
to Is degrees Fahrenheit.