Major heat is set to impact the Southeast and Florida, driven by a burgeoning heat dome. Starting this weekend, the heat is expected to linger through most of the following week.
A heat dome results from high pressure creating conditions that trap warm air, preventing clouds and rain. This particular ridge of high pressure could break monthly records for its strength.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts this will affect over 80 million people. More than 30 million will face ‘extreme’ heat, while 50 million will experience ‘major’ heat. The heat dome’s influence will grow throughout the week, peaking over the weekend.
Conditions will be most severe on Sunday, with states such as Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, southern Illinois, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida falling under the dome.
‘If it doesn’t cool off at night, your body doesn’t have time to readjust to all the heat,’ noted meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections.
Florida’s temperatures will hit the mid-90s, while areas from Oklahoma and Texas to the Carolinas may reach around 100 degrees. Humidity will push heat indexes between 105 and 115 degrees, complicating nighttime cooling.
The phenomenon follows record-breaking July temperatures, surpassing July 1936 of the Dust Bowl era. July averaged 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit across the contiguous United States, marking a significant climatic concern.
‘Exceeding Dust Bowl records indicates we’re in deep trouble,’ stated Masters.
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