Hottest Place On Earth?

  • Released Tuesday, May 1, 2012
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Many places call themselves the hottest on Earth, but most are not serious contenders. Ground-based weather stations typically sit near civilized areas and don't reveal the full story. Satellites, however, observe the entire planet, including extreme environments where no human wants to be. By detecting land skin temperatures—which often significantly exceed air temperatures and provide a measure of how the land absorbs and re-emits solar energy—satellites can dispel myth. Scientists analyzing NASA satellite data found the hottest spot on Earth changed three times within seven years, but the characteristics of each location were the same—dry, rocky, dark-colored and remote, like the land surrounding China's Flaming Mountain, pictured above. Temperatures in these places often top out above 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65

Satellites tell a different story than thermometers and folklore.

Satellites tell a different story than thermometers and folklore.

University of Montana scientists found Iran's Lut Desert reached the hottest temperature of anywhere on Earth between 2003 and 2009.

The Lut Desert's dry, gravelly floor absorbs nearly all of the sun's energy and reflects only small amounts of sunlight.

The Lut Desert's dry, gravelly floor absorbs nearly all of the sun's energy and reflects only small amounts of sunlight.

In China's Turpan Depression, the dark sands of the Shanshan Dunes become significantly hotter than the more famous Flaming Mountain.

In China's Turpan Depression, the dark sands of the Shanshan Dunes become significantly hotter than the more famous Flaming Mountain.

Hot landscapes appear bright, while cooler vegetation appears dark when viewed by satellite temperature sensors.

Hot landscapes appear bright, while cooler vegetation appears dark when viewed by satellite temperature sensors.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) lists more than 11,000 ground stations, but few sit in hot deserts such as the Sahara, Gobi and Lut.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) lists more than 11,000 ground stations, but few sit in hot deserts such as the Sahara, Gobi and Lut.

For More Information

See NASA Earth Observatory

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA Earth Observatory
Lut Desert photograph Copyright 2005 Jafar Sabouri, Geological Survey or Iran.

This page was originally published on Tuesday, May 1, 2012.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:53 PM EDT.