Death Valley Hits 100 Degrees for First Time in 2026

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Death Valley National Park in California reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, March 18, 2026, marking the first time this year the park has hit the century mark. This is only the third time in recorded history that Death Valley has reached 100 degrees this early in the year, with previous early arrivals of the 100-degree milestone occurring in 2007, 2013, 2004, 1930, 2022, and 2025.

Why it matters

Death Valley is known as the hottest place on Earth, and the park's early arrival at 100 degrees is an indicator of the ongoing effects of climate change on weather patterns in the Southwest. This heat wave is expected to break several records in the region this week.

The details

According to the National Weather Service, Death Valley National Park reached 100 degrees at 2:17 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, 2026. The park holds the official (and disputed) all-time global heat record of 134 degrees, set in July 1913. Death Valley has attracted many visitors this year due to a 'superbloom' of wildflowers and the re-emergence of Lake Manly at Badwater Basin after fall flooding.

• Death Valley National Park reached 100 degrees at 2:17 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, 2026.
• Only two other times, on March 17 in 2007 and 2013, has the park in eastern California hit 100 this early in the year.
• Other early arrivals of the century mark happened on March 21, 2004, and March 25 in 1930, 2022 and 2025.