ORLANDO, Fla. – Parts of the U.S. in recent days have been caught in a weather pattern known as a “heat dome.”
A heat dome happens when a powerful ridge of high pressure settles over an area and remains relatively stationary for days or even weeks, causing extremely hot temperatures and dangerous heat index values.
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The high-pressure system in the atmosphere acts as a lid — or dome — trapping the heat near the ground as the air sinks and becomes even hotter.
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The term “dome” is used to illustrate that the hot air is trapped in a particular area for an extended period, steadily heating to uncomfortable and potentially life-threatening levels.
This dome prevents cooler air from moving in, so temperatures underneath can soar, leading to heatwaves. It’s like being stuck under a blanket on a hot day, but on a much larger scale.
Due to the setup, near-record or record heat can persist for an extended period of time.
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