(CNN) — The city of Quriyat in Oman now has a dubious distinction to its name: it’s recorded highest “low” temperature in known history.
The Middle Eastern town of about 50,000 residents clocked in at a low temperature of 42.6°C (108.7°F) on June 26, 2018.
That was the lowest point of the temperature over a 24-hour period, as noted by weather expert Maximiliano Herrera. Not only did Quriyat hit that astonishing low temperature, it remained that hot for nearly 51 hours.
Although official records for low temperatures aren’t tracked the way high temperatures are, several outlets, including the Washington Post, are reporting the news.
If that wasn’t enough, Oman is beating the previous record for hottest low temperature, which was held by … Oman. Specifically, it was at Khasab Airport, some 600 kilometers (373 miles) north of Quriyat, close to the border with the United Arab Emirates.
What is it about this country that lends itself to such high temperatures? CNN’s senior meteorologist Brandon Miller says that several things factor into what exactly makes Oman so toasty.
Both Quriyat (also sometimes spelled Qurayyat) and Khasab are along the Gulf of Oman, which Miller explains is one of the warmest bodies of water in the world, with temperatures regularly hitting 30 C (86 F).
“You have the scorching temps coming from the Arabian Peninsula and the warm, humid air from the Gulf of Oman,” says Miller.
“Where they meet, you get extreme heat index (what the air feels like when you combine the air temp with the humidity) and extremely high overnight lows because the air can’t cool down much at night because of the humidity.”
Together, those conditions make it a perfect spot for hot weather to thrive.
And, unbelievably, Quriyat’s incredible weather accomplishment may not last long, if global climate trends are any indication.
Miller notes that while many people only look to high temperatures to determine whether to visit an area, low temperatures can indicate bigger problems. “Warmer overnight lows can be even more deadly than the extreme day time highs, as it does not allow buildings and people to cool off at night,” he cautions.
In other words? Pack more water than you think you need.
