Thermometer from my deployment to Iraq in 2008. Pretty sure that day we were over 130F. I have to do some more digging but I believe I have a photo of one over 140F.
Anything metal becomes burn your skin hot in just a few minutes. Exposed skin is very uncomfortable almost immediately.
The record low was 15f / -9c. I made the mistake of camping out there without proper gear one winter night. “How cold could it get in the desert?” I thought. Whoops.
I don't think people take dry heat seriously. Humid heat is obviously dangerous because you can't sweat the heat out of your body as efficiently, but dry heat at these temperatures feels like walking outside and holding a hair dryer to your skin. It's so fucking hot. You can feel the sun touching your skin like its physically reaching out. You sunburn from 5–15 minutes in the sun without sunblock. And it doesn't cool off either, not really. Temperatures stay in the high 80s and low-to-mid 90s all night. "But it's a dry heat" is really dismissive of how dangerous an unwavering 90–120° is, in this case for weeks on end.
You're right, feels like stepping into an oven, as soon as you're in the sun you feel like you're starting to literally cook. It's awful, and in a city it doesn't cool much so you can't cool off. If heat doesn't get you the first day try the next when you're with down a little.
I'd like to see how a dry heat compares because I've always heard it was better. This past week where I'm at in the states has been terrible, triple digit heat (I think it was 102 on Wednesday) with super high humidity and ridiculous UV levels; the air is thick and like a blanket wrapped around your head the moment you walk outside. Nights have been upper 70's-low 80's, I know it could be worse (thank god for a pool and AC), but this is way hotter than when I grew up.
after dying in greater vancouver region one summer some decade ago, I went to nevada and pet some donkeys or something. The degrees were higher but I wasn't dripping with sweat like in vancouver. The real rain in raincouver was my sweat all along! Actually though its so gross. People regularly ask if I'm crying and if I need to take a break. One of the jobs in the past a customer actually called a manager to ask for them to give me an extra break for working so hard in the heat. I was fine, just looked like I pissed myself, then did a handstand and pissed myself again.
Interesting thought popped into my head. Is it technically fraud? The headline is intentionally misleading to get you to click, which will show you ads that gets them money. The only gap is the it isn't your money they get.
Though, TBF, the NPS, who admin that thermometer, admit it's in a very hot location next to the ranger station, and they keep it there for bragging rights.
I've worked in 120° heat and it's not fun. Especially when you go back in the truck and it's 140° and the "cooling fan" just turns the truck to a convection oven.
