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.
Energy can take on many forms and can change from one form to another. Many different types of energy can be converted into heat energy. Light, electrical, mechanical, chemical, nuclear, sound and thermal energy itself can each cause a substance to heat up by increasing the speed of its molecules. So, put energy into a system and it heats up, take energy away and it cools. For example, when we are cold, we can jump up and down to get warmer.