The city of Quriyat on the north coast of Oman recorded the highest sustained temperature over a single day on Wednesday 26 June 2018, when the temperature remained at 42.6°C for the entire 24 hour period, or more precisely, for a 51 hour period that included the entire day. This is some way short of the highest temperature recorded on the Earth, 58°C at El Azizia in Libya on 13 September 2012, but is potentially more harmful to Human life as the sustained temperature prevents cooling of and recovery from heat damage. The record beats a previous hottest day also recorded in Oman, at Khassab Airport, where the temperature remained at or above 41.9°Cfor the entire of 27 June 2011.
The city of Quriyat in Oman, where the highest sustained temperature over a 24 hour period on Earth was recorded on 26 June 2018.
The high temperatures are linked to the proximity of the Gulf of Oman, an enclosed body of water which can become extremely heated compared to the rest of the Indian Ocean, raising the temperature of the air above and around it. This is contrary to what we normally expect from a maritime climate, where the thermal inertia of the sea (requiring much more energy to heat or cool it than the atmosphere) tends to have a moderating effect on the climate, leading to cooler summers and warmer winters,
The location of the city of Quriyat. Google Maps.
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