Temperature recording comes as California remains in the grip of 'dangerous heatwave'
Thermometers briefly nudged up to 53°C in Furnace Creek at 4pm on Thursday - the first day of the new month - surpassing the previous September record of 52.2°C.
"I wish it were cooler already. This is abnormally hot for September," exhaled Death Valley National Park spokesperson, Abby Wines, as she stood under the blazing sun.
Forecasters had been predicting that Death Valley could see a new record over the coming days with California in the grip of what's been described as a "dangerous heatwave."
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The intense heat is the result of a heat dome which is an unusually intense ridge of high pressure. Arizona, Nevada and California are expected to continue to see triple digit temperatures until at least the middle of next week.