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WEATHER UNDERGROUND RELEASES DOCUMENTARY AS DEATH VALLEY IS OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE HOTTEST PLACE ON EARTH

Documentary Examines The Research Leading To The World Meteorological Organization's Decision To Overturn The History Books And Recognize Death Valley For Recording the World's Highest Ever Temperature

SAN FRANCISCO – September 13, 2012 – Weather Underground, the world's first online weather service, is pleased to announce the availability of a documentary that details the research by its historical weather expert, Christopher C. Burt, that uncovered evidence to question the validity of one of the world's longest standing world records. A 30 second preview video is available at http://vimeo.com/49351327 and the full documentary can be found at www.wunderground.com/deadheat.

El Azizia in Libya has been attributed with the highest recorded temperature on earth since 1922, but the findings uncovered by Burt have led to the World Meteorological Organization invalidating the reading of 58°C (136.4°F). As a result, Death Valley National Park in California, USA, now officially holds the title of the world's hottest place. The WMO's investigating committee made their decision based on a number of concerns with the El Azizia temperature including problematic instrumentation, doubts over the inexperienced observer and the observation site, and poor matching with other temperature readings.

"We are proud of Weather Underground's involvement in overturning the history books - and the meteorological text books," said Alan Steremberg, President and co-founder of Weather Underground. "This documentary details the vast amount of research that went into denouncing the long established temperature record as well as the motivation that led Christopher Burt to question the record when nobody else had thought to for ninety years."

About Weather Underground

The world's first online weather service, Weather Underground is committed to delivering the most comprehensive, reliable weather information possible. In addition to providing free weather data to millions of users around the globe, Weather Underground provides weather solutions to many of the world's largest media companies. With more than 24,000 users contributing local observations from personal weather stations, Weather Underground is able to provide up-to-the-minute weather conditions for the most finely targeted areas. Weather Underground is part of The Weather Channel Companies and is based in San Francisco.