Iran village records Earth’s highest ever heat index at 82.2°C – What does this mean?

A village in southern Iran has recorded the earth’s highest ever heat index at 82.2°C (180°F) with a dew point of 97°F (36.1°C). This data was recorded by a weather station near Dayrestan Airport and shared by US-based meteorologist Colin McCarthy on Twitter.

However, McCarthy added that an “official investigation will need to be completed to determine if these readings are accurate”.

“However, I am a bit skeptical of the readings, as many other weather stations in the region reporting much lower dew points at the time of the reading, mostly in the upper 80s,” he added.

The extreme figures were generated through a combination of an air temperature of 102°F (38.9°C) and 85% relative humidity. This has raised concerns and prompted calls for an official investigation as per weather data released by the US National Weather Service.

High heat indices can have serious health implications. Staying in temperatures with a heat index of 40-54°C for too long can lead to heatstroke.

The dew point is the temperature at which air can no longer hold moisture, causing it to condense. When the body overheats, it sweats to cool down, but if sweat cannot evaporate due to high humidity, the body struggles to cool itself, making it feel even hotter.In contrast, dry regions have higher temperatures but lower humidity, making the air feel cooler.

“A historic heatwave is occurring across much of the Middle East, and one weather station in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia—which currently holds the world record dew point of 95°F (35°C)—has recorded a dew point as high as 93°F (33.9°C) in recent days,” said McCarthy. He noted that many other weather stations in the region reported dew points mostly in the upper 80s.