Hot Hot Hot

Wikipedia wrote:

The standard measuring conditions for temperature are in the air, 1.5 meters above the ground, and shielded from direct sunlight. The highest confirmed temperature on Earth recorded according to these measures was 54 °C (129 °F) recorded in Mitribah, Kuwait, on 21 July 2016.[1]

Aside from these confirmed records of 54 °C (129 °F), there are reports that Furnace Creek Ranch, California, located in the Death Valley desert in the United States, might have registered 56.7 °C (134.1 °F) on July 10, 1913 - what some weather experts today refute as a measurement error.[2][3][4]

At 41.80 °C (107.24 °F), July 2017 in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, was the hottest single month (average monthly temperature) ever reliably measured anywhere on Earth since records began in 1911.[5]

The former highest official temperature on Earth was in fact 57.8 °C (136 °F), registered on 13 September 1922, in ‘Aziziya, Libya, which was nonetheless de-certified by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) in January 2012 after holding for 90 years the record for the world's highest surface temperature - the temperature is currently considered to have been a recorder's error.[6]

Christopher C. Burt, the weather historian writing for Weather Underground who shepherded the Libya reading's 2012 disqualification, believes that also the 1913 Death Valley reading is "a myth", and is at least four or five degrees Fahrenheit too high,[4] as do other weather historians Dr. Arnold Court and William Taylor Reid.[7] Burt proposes that the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth is still at Death Valley, but is instead 54.0 °C (129.2 °F), recorded both in Death Valley, California on 20 June 2013, and in Mitribah, Kuwait on 21 July 2016.[8][9]

..

God, but I hate wikipedia!

Yes, the temp of 133 in Santa Barbara has been questioned because of the lack of documentation. And I find it difficult to believe.

But it's more fun to read about than that fucking wikipedia. "Hell Hits Santa Barbara"

If your goal is to educate us, please use a reliable source.

I would have thought the highest ground temperature would be the surface of a lava pool. But maybe that's cheating.

Maybe.

Making progress. Twenty-five percent contained at 237,500 acres.

Now thirty percent contained, at 242,500 acres. Also, now the fourth largest fire since the state started keeping records in 1932. The fire it replaced in fourth position was in Santa Barbara, on the northern edge of this fire.

Corvallis called. They're tired of hearing you kvetch.

Corvallis is in a flood plain. Have to give that some thought.

Quote :

Historic Willamette River crests
Here are the 10 highest crests recorded on the Willamette River at Portland, where the level is typically under 7 feet in early February, according to records kept by the National Weather Service. Flood stage is 18 feet.
(1) 33.00 ft on 06/07/1894
(2) 30.00 ft on 06/14/1948
(3) 30.00 ft on 06/01/1948
(4) 29.80 ft on 12/25/1964
(5) 28.70 ft on 02/06/1890
(6) 28.55 ft on 02/09/1996
(7) 28.20 ft on 06/24/1876
(8 ) 27.30 ft on 07/01/1880
(9) 26.40 ft on 06/04/1956
(10) 26.20 ft on 06/14/1882

Compare:

Quote :

October 2003
August 2012
August 2013
July 2007
December 2017
September 1932
October 2007
June 2008
July 1977
September 1970
June 2008
September 2006
August 2009
July 2015
July 2002
August 1987
August 1999
August 2014
July 2016
August 1990

Compare what?

ONE incidence of widespread flooding in the past 21 years, versus THIRTEEN large wildfires in 14 years.

A simple numerical comparison is not meaningful.
One hydrogen bomb is much more damaging than a million 500-pound bombs.

Just because the floods didn't make your top ten doesn't mean they didn't happen. I spent several hours reading about the floods in that area, including examining the FEMA 100-year flood plains.

How many acres does one flood cover? How many homes are destroyed or damaged? Lots of things to consider besides the count.

And it continues. The fire grew 10,000 acres overnight. Now at 252,500 acres, with 35% containment.

Some of the relative humidity readings in the area have been as low as one percent. On the coast.

And the beat goes on. Forty percent contained and 259,000 acres. Now the third largest fire since 1932.

Another 10,000 acres overnight. Now at 269,000 acres; just 4,000 short of the largest recorded fire. Still forty percent contained.

Santa Barbara may be in big trouble.

A bridge-player acquaintance moved out west just a few weeks ago. Someone asked him (on Facebook) if he was OK, and he said he wasn't too worried because he was over by the sea, so if the fire was to reach him, Santa Barbara would be gone.

He may be feeling a little less secure.

It would be a shame if Montecito and Santa Barbara burned. They are beautiful places.

When I lived in Montecito, I had occasion to visit the Brooks Institute of Photography a few times. I was blown away by the place. Out of curiosity, I just looked up a little info on the school. The guy bought it for the school in 1952, for $61,000. Today, it is on the market for $19.8 million. But if you look at a web site for luxury homes for sale in Santa Barbara, that place doesn't even make the first page. One home is listed at $85 million.

Imagine this place as a school (even in my Jaguar, I felt like a real peasant when I went there):

Fire grew another 1,000 acres yesterday, to 270,000. They didn't report any growth overnight, so that's good. It's now 45 percent contained and they are hoping for full containment in about three weeks.

A snapshot from Montecito. About three miles from where I lived.

Making more progress. Weather has been a little better for fighting the fire. It's now sixty percent contained and has grown to 272,000 acres. Number two on the big fire chart.

It actually rained a very small amount here this morning' probably not a measurable amount. But I can't tell how things are going today with the fire, as the CalFire website is down. Really, really bad time for a tech failure.

CalFire got its web site back up.

The Wind Gods smiled on us and the fire has only grown by 200 acres, up to 272,200. It is still sixty percent contained and they are predicting full containment January 7.

The have lifted evacuation orders for Santa Barbara.

For Grins: Rob Lowe Feed Fireghters.

They have removed several thousand workers from the fire. It is now sixty-five percent contained and 273,400 acres burned.