Heat record shattered in Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth

A new heat record for the day was set in California's Death Valley on Friday -- one of the hottest places on Earth. The previous high shattered by 5 degrees F, with the mercury climbing to 127 F. The old mark of 122 F was last tied in 2013.

More extreme highs are in the near forecast, including 129 F for Sunday at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, and then around 130 through Wednesday. The hottest temperature ever officially recorded on Earth was 134 degrees in Death Valley in July 1913, though some experts dispute that measurement and say the real record was 130 F recorded there in July 2021.

RELATED: Climate change driving force behind Bay Area's extended heat wave, experts say

There was also a record high for the date of 118 F in Phoenix, where highs of 115 F or hotter were forecast through Wednesday. In Needles, California, where the National Weather Service has records dating to 1888, the high of 122 F edged the old mark of 121 F set in 2007. It was 124 F in Palm Springs, California.