Heat dome is scorching the South, moving toward the East: What you can expect
- Many cities that have not seen actual 100-degree temperatures so far this summer will hit the mark this week.
- The Northeast is getting a brief reprieve before the big heat and humidity roll in later in the week.
ARLINGTON, Va. − A heat dome expanding across much of the Midwest and South will envelop over 100 million Americans with temperatures at or above 100 degrees on an almost daily basis this week, forecasters say.
AccuWeather says almost 200 million people will experience the triple digit "RealFeel" temperatures on July 25 alone. The National Weather Service early on July 22 already had issued extreme heat warnings, watches and advisories across a swath of the nation, affecting more than 70 million Americans.
Adam Douty, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, told Paste BN that much of the country has dealt with temperatures 1-3 degrees higher than usual so far this summer. This week will be hotter than that.
"And it's going to feel a lot warmer than it actually is because of the humidity," Douty said of this week's weather. "This summer we have had more prolonged humidity than usual. Day after day, that gets a little old."
Many cities that have not seen actual 100-degree temperatures so far this summer will hit the mark this week, AccuWeather warns. Many areas from Nebraska and Missouri to Texas and Louisiana won't even see overnight temperatures drop below the mid-70s or even low 80s.
"Kansas City, Missouri, has not hit 100 degrees since Aug. 25, 2023, but is positioned to do so on multiple days during the upcoming heat dome," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said.
Developments:
∎ Thunderstorms and even possible tornadoes across the Upper Midwest could cause flooding concerns, Douty said.
∎ The next 30 days are likely to bring little heat relief to most of the country. Douty said long-range forecasts call for average temperatures above normal.
East beats the heat for now
Much of the East was exempt from the heat dome on July 22 as residents in this suburb of Washington, D.C., saw temperatures drift into the 60s overnight with little humidity. The high for July 22 was forecast to reach only the mid-80s. The respite, however, won't last − by July 25 the humidity returns with a forecast high nearing 100 degrees.
Douty said Friday highs could break daily high-temperature records in some Northeast cities. Forecasts include 98 for Washington, 97 for New York and Philadelphia and 96 for Boston. With the humidity, it will feel hotter than 100 degrees.
"It's mostly just one day for the East Coast cities," Douty said. "By the weekend the temperatures will begin sliding back down a bit."
Greece halts outside work because of heat
Couriers, food delivery riders and builders in Athens and across much of Greece were ordered to pause work from midday until 5 p.m. on June 22 because of temperatures approaching 100 degrees. The heat wave has also gripped the wider Balkans, fuelling wildfires in Albania. Climate change has drawn blame for longer and more severe heat waves, destructive floods and wildfires in the region.
New Orleans resident Matthew Enos, 18, told Reuters he was not prepared for such intense heat when he recently arrived in Athens on vacation.
"It's been a little tough so far. Not the greatest feeling ever," he said. "So I've just been adapting by drinking lots and lots of water."
US flooded with flooding
This summer is on track to be one of the most flood-filled on U.S. record, AccuWeather says. In Texas, a storm this month dumped over 12 inchesof rain in Kerr County, causing the Guadalupe River to rise 27 feet in under an hour, killing more than 130 people. In North Carolina, Tropical Storm Chantal shattered a rainfall record in the Eno River basin and killed six. In New Mexico, floodwaters tore through fire-scarred terrain in Ruidoso, killing at least three people.
Big cities were not immune. Recent flash floods overwhelmed Chicago streets and New York City subway stations. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said that, so far this year, there has been 4,800 reports of flash flooding, a 70% increase over the 10-year average.
"That's a huge number and why so many people feel like they've been hearing a lot about flash flooding in the news," Porter said.
What is a heat dome?
Heat dome is not actually a scientific term, according to climatecheck.com, which says the term does effectively describe the "oppressive" high-pressure atmospheric systems that cause warm air to be pushed to the Earth's surface and trapped there for long periods of time.
"The dome traps high-pressure air in one place, like the lid on a pot," the website says. "These large zones of hot air result in a combination of blistering temperatures, devastating wildfires, and drought conditions."
How long will the heat dome last?
Jonathan Erdman, a senior meteorologist at weather.com, wrote that the heat wave may last until at least the last weekend of July in the Plains and South, while slowly expanding west toward the Rockies.
"Our longer range outlooks suggest the Northeast has the best chance of eventually seeing some heat relief around that last weekend of July," Erdman said.
Heat stroke is no joke
The heat is no joke and this year. As large swaths of the country continue to contend with extreme heat, knowing how to keep you and your loved ones safe this summer is crucial. Common signs or symptoms of heat stroke include headache, high body temperature, confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, nausea and vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness, flushed skin, rapid breathing and racing heart rate.
According to a report by the National Weather Service, heat killed more Americans in 2024 than any other major weather event, including floods and tornadoes. As temperatures increase, so does the risk of heat-related dangers and injuries, which occurs when the body is exposed to extreme heat or high humidity over an extended period of time. Either way, the consequences can be deadly. Read more here.
− Amaris Encinas
Corn sweat adding to Midwest heat, humidity
It's high summer in the Midwest and the corn is "sweating." Known as evapotranspiration, it's a healthy process for plants that can worsen stifling heat for humans by driving up humidity levels. The process is how plants release water vapor into the atmosphere. The released water combines with other water molecules, humidifying the air.
In the Plains and Midwest regions, where there are millions of acres of corn and soybean crops, it makes a difference. In Iowa, corn pumps out "a staggering 49 to 56 billion gallons of water into the atmosphere each day" throughout the state, the National Weather Service said. That can add 5 to 10 degrees to the dew point, a measure of the humidity in the air, on a hot summer day. Read more here.
− Doyle Rice