Spring sizzle: Death Valley hits century mark for first time in 2025

It’s not even April, and Death Valley already has hit the century mark.

The famous national park in eastern California reported a temperature of 100 degrees on Tuesday afternoon as an early spring heat wave grips the region.

The National Weather Service said it’s the third-earliest 100 degree day for the park since 1911. The others are:

— March 17 (2007 and 2013)

— March 21 (2004)

— March 25 (1930, 2022 and 2025)

Death Valley, known as “the hottest place on Earth” and popular with tourists, recorded its hottest summer ever last year. It experienced an average 24-hour temperature of 104.5 degrees, topping its previous record of 104.2 degrees, which was set in 2021 and 2018.

Death Valley holds the official (and disputed) all-time global heat record of 134 degrees, set in July 1913.

But don’t expect the spring heat to last. Temperatures are forecast to drop back into the 90s by the weekend.

Phoenix heat

Also on Tuesday, Phoenix nearly hit the century mark, reaching 99 degrees, the Associated Press reported. It would have been the earliest date on record for the city to hit triple digits.

On average, Phoenix doesn’t reach 100 until May 11, the NWS said.