Death Valley National Park was forced to close on Sunday due to flooding caused by the former Category 4 storm Hilary.
The park, located in eastern California and Nevada, had received 1 inch of rain by mid-Sunday, leading to flash floods, the National Park Service (NPS) said in a statement.
Up to 2.89 inches of rain fell in parts of Death Valley over the course of Sunday, the Weather Channel reported. The annual average rainfall for the park is around 2.2 inches.
Death Valley is known as the hottest place on Earth and the driest part of North America. The highest air temperature ever recorded on Earth was 134 degrees Fahrenheit at Death Valley's Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Hilary made landfall along the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico on Sunday morning as a tropical storm before moving up through Southern California and Nevada, bringing heavy rainfall and flooding. The storm has continued to weaken and, early Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) downgraded Hilary to a "post-tropical cyclone."
Summer temperatures often exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. In July, temperatures reached near-record highs, with the National Weather Service (NWS) recording a reading of 128 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some experts, such as weather historian Christopher Burt, have questioned the 1913 temperature reading from Death Valley, even though it was officially verified at the time—arguing it is not reliable.
A WMO-verified temperature of 131 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded at Kebili, Tunisia, in 1931, although this reading too has been disputed by some, including Burt.
Burt believes a reading of 130 degrees Fahrenheit recorded in July 2021 in Death Valley is the hottest recorded temperature on Earth, he told The Guardian. It is still awaiting confirmation.
Following the extreme rainfall in Death Valley, officials closed the park at 2 p.m. on Sunday, including State Road 190, due to the impacts of Hilary.
"Many roadways have already experienced significant debris flows, undercutting and complete shoulder loss. Emergency services probably won't be able to respond," the NPS said on Sunday. "Visitors are encouraged to stay home and seek shelter. The reopening date is pending further assessment."
Newsweek reached out to the National Park Service via email for comment.
Hilary's circulation is expected to dissipate later today, but the threat of flooding and gusty winds will continue in the interior western United States, according to a public advisory issued by the NHC at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET on Monday.
Flood Watches are in effect for Southern California, northwest Arizona, much of Nevada, southwest Utah, eastern Oregon, western and Central Idaho, and far southeast Washington.
High wind warnings and wind advisories are in effect for northern and central Nevada, western Utah, southern Idaho and southwest Montana.
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Aristos is a Newsweek science reporter with the London, U.K., bureau. He reports on science and health topics, including; animal, ... Read more
