It's been a hot summer for a lot of areas already. As much as the heat here in upstate New York has me cooped up inside with the air conditioner blasting, it's nothing compared to other parts of the US now impacted by one of the summer's freakiest weather patterns: the heat dome.
If that's a new phrase to you, keep reading and I'll break down what a heat dome is and what causes it, and for more help, read CNET's list of hacks for keeping your home cool in the summer.
What is a heat dome?
Think of a heat dome as similar to putting a lid on a pot or a frying pan while cooking something, Alex Lamers of the National Weather Service told NPR.
A heat dome is what happens when a high-pressure system lingers, causing hot air to become trapped under it, resulting in prolonged temperature spikes. Just like how putting a lid on a pot or pan traps the heat and cooks the food faster. Except in this case, the food is you and me.
This is made worse by the fact that high pressure systems are known to cause dry weather, which can also contribute to hotter temperatures.
According to the heat map provided on the National Integrated Heat Health Information System's official website, heat risks are elevated for most of the country between the Midwest and Lower Mississippi Valley regions and the East Coast, with eastern North Carolina, central Virginia, the Pittsburgh area, southeast Pennsylvania, southeast Maryland, most of New Jersey and almost all of Delaware being under extreme heat warnings.
In the hardest-hit areas, temperatures may go as high as 115 degrees, while others will hover between 95 and 100 degrees. All around, it's the kind of weather than can make the prospect of a power outage a life-or-death scenario.
How long does a heat dome last?
I wish I had better news for you.
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