Heat Domes: The Dangerous Weather Phenomenon Trapping the US in Scorching Temperatures

Heat domes occur when high pressure traps heat in a region, causing temperatures to soar. They are influenced by the jet stream and can last for days or weeks, impacting people, crops, and animals. These heat events have significant health risks, exacerbated by global warming.

In June 2024, a heat dome, a high-pressure system trapping heat, caused soaring temperatures from the Midwest to New England and across the eastern US. This weather phenomenon persists due to the behavior of the jet stream, which can lead to prolonged hot and stagnant air conditions.

The wavelike pattern of the jet stream, typically running west to east, sometimes becomes stationary, causing heat domes. As the jet stream swings north, air piles up, sinks, warms, and clears skies, leading to hotter ground conditions. In some cases, air descending over mountains can further intensify warming.

Heat domes can significantly affect human health, especially in high humidity, as sweating becomes less effective. Higher global temperatures aggravate these conditions, making occurrences like the 1995 Chicago heatwave more frequent and deadly, highlighting the urgent need for climate action.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)