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For 20 days in July and August this year, temperatures in Ararat Valley and Armenia’s capital city of Yerevan ranged between 38 and 39 degrees Celsius. Temperatures stayed at 40-41 degrees for about 15 days, Gagik Surenyan - deputy chief of the weather service of Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations – told a press conference today.

He said it was the longest heat wave in Armenia in the last 170 years. In addition, precipitation during July was 50% below normal. “A dry, extremely hot weather continued until August 21 inclusivel, with no precipitation being recorded over that period,” the weather expert said.

In response to reporters’ remark that local residents are sure that temperatures hit 41 degrees, Surenyan replied: “Being a candidate of geographical science, I can tell you that temperatures in Yerevan never exceeded 42 degrees Celsius. 42 degrees were recorded in Yerevan on August 3, 2010, and temperatures hit 43.7 degrees in Meghri. The mercury never rises above that level in our country”.

He said that people simply measure temperatures incorrectly by placing a thermometer in direct sunlight or near hot surfaces.
To remind, the heat wave in Armenia this summer created a stir on social media. On July 10 thermometers of mobile devices and other appliances of many residents of Yerevan displayed temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius. The deputy chief of the weather office Gagik Surenyan told Panorama.am on that day that no such temperature was recorded in the capital city or any other area across Armenia. In his words, temperatures reached 39 degrees in Shengavit and Kentron districts of Yerevan, while in other districts temperatures did not exceed 36-37 degrees.