The heat dome endures. The National Weather Service reported “searing” heat throughout the central and southern U.S. this week due to a large dome of high pressure.
The Chicago will continue to see daytime highs in the triple digits this week. (Source: CNN Weather)
Heat Dome Gives Off Record-breaking Temperatures
Forecasters predicted deadly, record-breaking temperatures. Weather service meteorologist Cody Snell said heat alerts have been issued from Minneapolis to New Orleans for 22 states and 130 million people. Take the heat seriously and avoid prolonged time outside, as temperatures and heat indices will reach levels that might kill anyone without proper cooling and drinking.
AccuWeather meteorologist Renee Duff said the large area and persistent high heat can strain residents, animals, and the energy grid. Will it get hot? Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman predicts 100-degree daytime highs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Texas, Oklahoma, the Tennessee Valley, the Deep South, and northern Florida.
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Outdoor Activities Should be Avoided Due to Deadly Effects of Heat Dome
Erdman claimed, “Chicago could see its first triple-digit high in over 11 years”. According to the weather service, maximum heat indices could reach 120 degrees with high humidity. Nights will be no relief as lows are near 80 degrees. The nocturnal heat “will compound the impacts associated with this potentially deadly heat wave,” Snell added. Snell noted that August is known for severe heat, but these temperatures are likely to surpass daily and monthly records.
The heat forced Midwest schools to move recess indoors and postpone sports events from South Dakota to Indiana due to the heat dome. AccuWeather blamed a “massive heat dome” over the central U.S. for the severe temperatures. A heat dome forms when a prolonged high-pressure region traps heat, says Iowa State University atmospheric science professor William Gallus. Erdman called it “a high-pressure, warm-air bubble that suppresses clouds and rain and steers the storm track north. In summer, those can cause lengthy heat waves at their center.” The weather service called this high-pressure area “an extremely potent upper-level ridge.”
These US victims of extreme heat were killed and maimed. A scorching summer continues. The heat dome wreaking suffering this week is just the latest to strike the U.S. and the planet this year. The world has reached record heat in June and July. Scientists have long warned that climate change, caused by fossil fuel burning, deforestation, and certain agricultural practices, could cause more and longer extreme weather, including hotter temperatures like those in the central U.S. this week.
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