How hot does it get in the desert? A climate scientist explains its blazing heat

– Henry, age 5, South Bend, IndianaWhen you think of a desert, you probably imagine giant waves of sand dunes beneath a blazing Sun. You’d be picturing a hot desert, like the Sahara in Africa. The hottest air temperature on the Earth’s surface was 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7 degrees Celsius) in Death Valley, California. Because desert air is extremely dry, it lacks this protective shield. A final reason those hot deserts stay hot has to do with the way water removes heat when it evaporates.