Warmest temperature ever! Hottest temperature ever recorded!

 Every now and then a story appears, about THE WARMEST TEMPERATURE EVER, or "The hottest temperature ever recorded"

Usually in regards to global warming, of course.  

The latest one on Antarctica, as well as the one from two years ago, might note "since record keeping started in 1961", which should trigger some skepticism, since that is a very short record, and it started during the coldest recorded era since records started.

Be that as it may, here is an example or two why it might not mean much.

Montana temperatures, warmest temperature ever recorded! 40.6 C

Then we look at a longer record, and see why it doesn't mean anything.  Warmest temperature 43.3 C

Same for Michigan

Using a short record, warmest temperature ever! 36.1 C  !!!!

Looking at a longer record, warmest recorded temperature 40.0 C

This is why skeptics and people who understand climate and weather don't freak out over a record temperature.  Unless there is a long record of temperatures, extremes can't be known to be extremes.