Does anyone live in Death Valley?
Does anyone live in
More than 300 people live year-round in Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth. Here's what it's like. With average daytime temperatures of nearly 120 degrees in August, Death Valley is one of the hottest regions in the world.
Every once in a while, Death Valley experiences a “super bloom” when conditions align and the whole valley is covered in bright flowers. The most recent super bloom was in 2016, but it's impossible to predict when the next one will be. Even human beings are able to survive in Death Valley if they know where to look.
Death Valley is home to the Timbisha tribe of Native Americans, formerly known as the Panamint Shoshone, who have inhabited the valley for at least the past millennium. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the point of lowest elevation in North America, at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.
The Timbisha Shoshone Indians lived here for centuries before the first white man entered the valley. They hunted and followed seasonal migrations for harvesting of pinyon pine nuts and mesquite beans with their families.
Winter daytime temperatures are mild in the low elevations, with cool nights that only occasionally reach freezing. Higher elevations are cooler than the low valley. Temperatures drop 3 to 5°F (2 to 3°C) with every thousand vertical feet gained(approx. 300m).
Yes, It Even Can Snow
Only once on record has measurable snow fallen on the valley floor, when 0.5 inch of snow was recorded at Greenland Ranch, the official recording station on January 29, 1922.
Flash Floods: Avoid canyons during rain storms and be prepared to move to higher ground. While driving, be alert for water running in washes and across road dips. Mine Hazards: Do not enter mine tunnels or shafts. Mines may be unstable, have hidden shafts, pockets of bad air, and poisonous gas.
If your vehicle breaks down
It is best to stay with your vehicle if it breaks down. On main roads, another traveler should come along sooner than you could walk for help.
All water supplied to the public is disinfected with chlorine. This insures all harmful bacteria are removed. Water is tested daily for chlorine residuals to continuously monitor and control chlorine performance and to also alert personnel if problems occur.
How hot does Death Valley get?
Death Valley holds the record for the highest air temperature on the planet: On 10 July 1913, temperatures at the aptly named Furnace Creek area in the California desert reached a blistering 56.7°C (134.1°F). Average summer temperatures, meanwhile, often rise above 45°C (113°F).
Usually, the area gets 2.24 inches of rain annually. On Sunday, the high temperature was just 78 degrees – the daily average is 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit, and summertime temperatures sometimes reach 120 degrees in the shade .
The hottest place on Earth is Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California (USA), where a temperature of 56.7°C (134°F) was recorded on 10 July 1913. In summer months, Death Valley has an average daily high of 45°C (113°F). This is only the air temperature, with surface heat much higher.
Located in southern Nevada, the “hole” itself is a fissure in the earth's surface that split open 60,000 years ago to reveal an astonishing underworld: a water-filled limestone cavern. Ironically, beneath the hottest, driest place in the Western Hemisphere stretches a vast aquifer system.
Much of the reason for this is that Death Valley is a long, narrow basin that sinks 282 feet below sea level. The sun-bleached moonscape near the border of Nevada is hemmed in by jagged, rust-colored mountains, which trap hot air and circulate it like a convection oven.
During winter, average temperatures range from the mid-60s to the low 70s with overnight lows frequently dropping into the upper 30s. Those cooler conditions combine with clear, sunny days to make winter the perfect season to get explore Death Valley National Park.
Is it safe to visit Death Valley in the summer? Yes, but you must be prepared and use common sense. With an air conditioned vehicle you can safely tour many of the main sites in Death Valley. Stay on paved roads in summer, and if your car breaks down, stay with it until help arrives.
It's important to note that there may be places hotter than Death Valley, for instance, parts of the Sahara. However, according to climate scientist Daniel Swain, these are too remote for reliable monitoring.
The park first closed in August after it received more than 2 inches of rain in one day, which the NPS said is more than the area typically gets in a whole year. The deluge of rain caused flooding, which washed away trails, undercut pavement, and filled collapsed roads with gravel.
Normally, the white substance visible in this part of the valley is sodium chloride, or table salt. The source of Badwater's salts is Death Valley's 9,000 square mile drainage system. Rain at higher elevations flows and dissolves rocks carrying the finer materials into Death Valley to form temporary lakes.
Why is it called Death Valley?
The name “Death Valley” was invented by a group of ill-fated pioneers known as the Lost '49ers. Their story begins in the late 1840s when a man named James Marshall discovered gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills, beginning the famous California Gold Rush.
The 102.7-degree July average in Phoenix surpassed readings ever observed at any weather stations nationwide, except for the inhospitable Death Valley, Calif., which is considered the hottest location in the world. It's not just hot. Climate anomalies are emerging around the globe.
Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)
Mountain lions are large predatory cats that can be found in the Death Valley area, although sightings are rare due to their elusive nature. They are a top predator and play an essential role in regulating the population of other wildlife species.
Death Valley
With seven deaths recorded due to environmental exposure, however, weather is a distant second to motor vehicle crashes, which accounted for 14 deaths over 10 years; many occurred on CA 190, which traverses the park.
The mountain lion is the apex predator of Death Valley. It usually inhabits the desert's mountains but occasionally comes to the oasis. This big cat easily adapts to various environments and prefers to stalk its prey from rocks. While sightings happen, the chances of you coming into contact with one are meager.
