Symptom: Dry, itchy skin. Photo by Fuse/Getty Images. What it might mean: It's probably winter itch, skin dryness that's a result of cold, dry air. Using a humidifier, avoiding super hot showers, and routinely slathering on a thick moisturizer will help keep skin supple.
But Death Valley is affected by several of the main causes of heat waves - the frequent presence of a high pressure system (helped by its below sea level elevation), downslope air movement from surrounding mountains, and radiation of heat from the surrounding cliffs.
1 Heat rash occurs when the skin's sweat glands are blocked and the sweat produced cannot get to the surface of the skin to evaporate. This causes inflammation that results in a rash.  Common symptoms of heat rash include red bumps on the skin, and a prickly or itchy feeling to the skin (also known as prickly heat).