Yikes!!! 110-120 degree days forecast for the Southwest later this week!

[defacto7]

88. Just to put the earth into perspective....

It's a highly contentious issue but satellite measurements say differently. Earth sensors are too sporadic to indicate the hottest place on earth.

http://earthsky.org/earth/where-are-the-hottest-places-on-earth

Results from the new study indicate that the Lut Desert in Iran is likely one of the hottest places on Earth. In 2005, the land surface temperature in the Lut Desert reached a sweltering 70.7 oC (159.3 oF), the highest temperature observed during the entire time period that was analyzed. Temperatures in the Lut Desert were also the highest observed anywhere on Earth during 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009 with temperatures during these years ranging from 68.0 oC (154.4 oF) to 69.0 oC (156.2 oF).

Interestingly, the Lut Desert was not the hottest place on Earth every year. In 2003, the Aqua satellite measured a record high temperature of 69.3 oC (156.7 oF) in the badlands of Queensland, Australia. During 2008, the record for the hottest place on Earth went to the Turpan Basin in China where temperatures reached 66.8 oC (152.2 oF). The Turpan Basin is covered by dark red sandstone that heats up to extreme temperatures in the afternoon sun.