All-Time Hottest Temperature Records Higher Than Las Vegas

We are all sitting around a little stunned after yesterday's record high temp in Las Vegas. 120 degrees measured just around 4 p.m. at the National Weather Service monitoring station at Harry Reid International Airport. All-time hottest temperatures are set all the time around the world, but when it cracks 120, it's shocking.

Sure, 120 degrees doesn't feel much different than 115 degrees. But knowing it cleared the former all-time high by a full 3 degrees is a bit disconcerting.

It wasn't just a hot day in Las Vegas. Several locations in the southwest saw daily records as well, according to the National Weather Service.

When it comes to all-time hottest temperatures at major metro areas and points of interest in America, the list that surpasses Las Vegas is quite short.

The hottest in state history belongs to Laughlin, who hit 120 on Monday. But back in 1994, the mercury rose to a sweltering 125 degrees. Down the river in Lake Havasu, they set an all-time hottest temp of 128 degrees - also in 1994.

The all-time hottest temperature ever recorded in Phoenix was a sweltering 122 degrees back in 1990. Somehow Phoenix, often a couple of degrees higher than Las Vegas, remained underneath Las Vegas on Sunday. But don't worry, Phoenix set another all-time hottest temp for the day today at 118 degrees, 3 degrees higher than the former all-time high for the day.

Baker, California saw its hottest temp reach 124 degrees... 10 degrees shy of what the "World's Largest Thermometer" is capable of measuring. The 134-foot-tall faux thermometer can read up to 134 degrees in commemoration of the all-time hottest temperature ever recorded in Death Valley.

Further south in Barstow, California, their all-time hottest temperature is also 120 degrees set back in 1996.

On Friday, Palm Springs, California hit their new all-time hottest temperature of 124 degrees. Woof.

While it is fun looking at the all time hottest temperature, it is the long-term trend that really matters. In Las Vegas, the trend is a bit worrisome.

June featured 28 of 30 days that were all seasonally above normal. Plus the records for nearly every hot temp category have been set over the last 11 years.

Nevada Mine tours are very popular, and a lot of fun. It's a cool experience - especially in the summer. Though they may not be for everyone.

In Pennsylvania, some tourists got the full experience when they decided to do a mine tour. Probably not the experience they were expecting. But all is well.

54 people got trapped in a coal mine in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania. It took a few hours, but everyone was brought out of the mine safely.

There was some sort of mechanical problem, and they all had to come up through an emergency capsule. The Lackawanna Pennsylvania Coal Mine Foreman, Edmund Neidlinger, said, "I'm here eight years and never had to use it." About 15 years ago they broke an axle on the mine car, and that was the last time they used it.

Neidlinger, controlled the mechanism that lifted the emergency capsule up and down. It only fits about three or four people at a time, so it took about two hours to get everyone out. But they all got out, and everyone is just fine.

It was just a fluke, and there was no danger, The kids on the tour had fun. In fact, so much fun, that they wanted to go back down and do it again! They also got coal from the coal guy down in the mine, so - win, win.

Mine operators say they will figure out what caused the problem, and the mine car will be repaired.

I've done several Nevada mine tour, and they are so interesting. If you're heading to, or live in Nevada, they are a great day trip, or weekend getaway.

If you want to experience a mine tour - without the excitement of getting stuck - there are several to experience in Nevada. And they really represent the history of our great Silver State. Here are some Nevada Mine Tours that are well worth a visit.

They say Eldorado Canyon is probably the oldest, richest and most famous gold mine in Southern Nevada. It ran from 1861 until 1942. Steamboats on the Colorado River were the main way to get there for 40 years. There are mine tours, it is great for photo shoots, and has also been used in movies. It's also a great place to have a wedding! It's a quick day trip from Las Vegas. Two miles past the little town of Nelson, Nevada, on highway 165.

First staked out in 1859, Virginia City’s Chollar Mine was one of the leading producers of gold and silver. It hauled out about $17 million in gold and silver. Virginia City is a really cool place to visit to begin with. A lot of rich Nevada old west history. Many haunted attractions, many just plain fun attractions. And the Chollar Mine historic mine tour is a a really interesting tour.

What better way to do a tour, than doing a saloon first - then going into a mine. Ponderosa Mine tour is only about a half hour long. It features a hundreds of  pieces of equipment on display. Ponderosa Mine has been stabilized and retrofitted to feel like a museum. A unique, and fun tour. Read about its history here.

This is more of a mining park. It has restored mining equipment, historic exhibits, a self-guided tour, and a guided ATV tour. There is small movie theater, and mineral displays that are lit with black lights to enhance the sparkle. There is an underground mine tunnel you can walk down. The Burro Tunnel is definitely not for everyone, but it's quite intriguing! And there is a steel viewing cage that looks down a 500′ foot deep stope. Yes, a stope, not slope.