Global Patterns of Hottest, Coldest, and Extreme Diurnal Variability on Earth

Abstract

Most previous studies of extreme temperatures have primarily focused on atmospheric temperatures. Using 18 years of the latest version of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature (LST) data, we globally investigate the spatial patterns of hot and cold extremes as well as diurnal temperature range (DTR). We show that the world’s highest LST of 80.8 °C, observed in the Lut Desert in Iran and the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, is over ten degrees above the previous global record of 70.7 °C observed in 2005. The coldest place on Earth is Antarctica with the record low temperature of -110.9 °C. The world’s maximum DTR of 81.8 °C is observed in a desert environment in China. We see strong latitudinal patterns in hot and cold extremes as well as DTR. Biomes worldwide are faced with different levels of temperature extremes and DTR: we observe the highest zonal average maximum LST of 61.1 ± 5.3 °C in the deserts and xeric shrublands; the lowest zonal average minimum LST of -66.6 ± 14.8 °C in the Tundra; and the highest zonal average maximum DTR of 43.5 ± 9.9 °C in the montane grasslands and shrublands. This global exploration of extreme LST and DTR across different biomes sheds light on the type of extremes different ecosystems are faced with.

Climate Change and Weather Extremes in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East

“…In the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula and east Iran, summer land surface temperature, usually derived by satellite sensors, routinely soared above 60°C (Mildrexler et al., 2011). In 2018, the world highest land surface temperature of 80.8°C was observed in the Lut Desert in Iran (Y. Zhao, Norouzi, et al., 2021). The Arabian or Persian Gulf recently also recently experienced record‐breaking sea surface temperatures.…”

“…In 2018, the world highest land surface temperature of 80.8°C was observed in the Lut Desert in Iran (Y. Zhao, Norouzi, et al, 2021). The Arabian or Persian Gulf recently also recently experienced record-breaking sea surface temperatures.…”

Compact Thermal Imager (CTI) for Atmospheric Remote Sensing

“…The surface temperature in Death Valley (Stovepipe Wells, California) on this day had reportedly reached an hourly maximum of 320 K, which was consistent with the CTI temperature estimated from the VIIRS calibration. Among other deserts (e.g., the Lut Desert in Iran or the Sonoran Desert in Mexica), Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world in terms of land surface temperature (LST) [25]. In addition to cloud and surface temperatures, the cloud shadow can also be seen in the CTI band1 image, showing a temperature slightly cooler than that of the surface but a warmer than that of the clouds.…”

Spatial Downscaling of GOES-R Land Surface Temperature over Urban Regions: A Case Study for New York City

“…Reliable estimates of land surface temperature (LST) are crucial for understanding the land-atmosphere energy budget, hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, climate change, as well as for land surface model data assimilation [1][2][3][4]. LST is also a key input variable for the estimation of land surface emissivity, evapotranspiration, and latent and sensible heat fluxes [5][6][7].…”

“…Thermal infrared (TIR) sensors provide LST estimates at finer spatial resolution with reasonable accuracy, but they are restricted to clear-sky conditions alone. An example of one of the most widely used TIR-based LST products is obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived LST estimates, and it has been successfully used for numerous applications worldwide [3,4,[8][9][10][11]. Microwave sensors provide LST estimates for all-weather conditions, but their spatial resolution is rather coarse.…”