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Now that I have the time (and internet speed) to do so, I've been browsing other volunteer's blogs. I've noticed a trend in what I'm reading that could be worrisome for those of you (mostly family, I know) who are interested enough in what I'm doing to read not just my blog but those of other volunteers. So I wanted to clarify: The temperature in the hot season does NOT reach 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, no where on earth does it get that hot. Hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth was 136F (in 1922, so not even recent), and it wasn't in The Gambia. I hear people throw this figure around a lot in-country, and I think it must be that normal digital thermometers (that a lot of volunteers have) aren't particularly accurate above 100 degrees or so. A more accurate estimate is that it ranges from 110 to 120 degrees during the hottest part of the year, although according to Columbia University, the highest temperature ever recorded in The Gambia was 113 degrees. (The lowest was 48 degrees--can you even see your breath yet at that temp?) You can look this all up yourself, but don't get all worried next time you're reading that it's 130 degrees where I live. Cuz it's not. In other news, a video of my host siblings:
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On May 14th, 2008 01:08 pm (UTC), an anonymous reader commented: You should talk to Rodney about some of the temps when he was a PCV in Niger. Makes Gambia look frosty by comparison. When I googled hottest temps, I got 136F in 1922, 134F in 1913, both in CA (oh. rereading the fine pring. temps recorded are only for US). I found another place that said 136F in 1922 in Libya. Now, so far, we have either America where there are weather stations, or a British colony when the British were still there. No developing world without a colonial gov't. |
On May 14th, 2008 01:19 pm (UTC), an anonymous reader commented: Rodeny just came in and said the hottest when he was a volunteer was 155F in Niger. Cer Bad thermometer? Some other weather stations in Africa, all of which have been active for the last 50-150 years: - Burkina Faso - South Africa (Several: Calvinia, Capetown, Johannesburg International Airport, and Kimberley & Bloemfontein) - Tanzania (Dar-es-Salaam) - Madagascar - Morocco (Marrakech) - Mauritania (Nouakchott) - Niger (Two: Niamey and Zinder & Maine-Soroa) Re: Bad thermometer? This site lists the weather stations in most of Africa: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-175 Re: Bad thermometer? The other thing I'm noticing on all these sites is that they don't consider a thermometer readings valid. Only special weather station equipment (you can buy your own little weather station) is considered accurate for recording highs and lows. Re: Bad thermometer? NASA (http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/scienceques20 It's been around 115-120 during the summers here (in the SFV, especialy during the fires) I can't imagine what 130-150 degrees would do to the body. I think anything above 80 or so is uncomfortable. |
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