100-degree heat dome to set up shop over southern US
Many locations that have avoided 100-degree heat thus far will rack up a string of triple digits in the days ahead.
A northward bulge in the jet stream will develop while high pressure builds. This setup-a heat dome-can be very persistent. While the core of the heat dome may meander east-to-west and back in the weeks ahead, it may linger through a good chunk of August.
Dallas, which as of July 21 had not hit triple digits, but could do so on any of the days over the next two to three weeks. The pattern will erase the below historical average temperature condition thus far in July (1.2 degrees below average) and is likely to finish the month near to above the historical average.
"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.
The heat will make it difficult for manual labor jobs ranging from construction to agriculture, as well as the start of athletic training camps for the upcoming start of the school year. Caution is advised to take breaks and stay hydrated.
It will take a while for the ground to dry out in some areas and, as that moisture is drawn into the air, it will make for very steamy conditions for a time, Merrill said. "Many cities from Nebraska and Missouri to Texas and Louisiana won't get relief at night with low temperatures to range from the mid-70s to the low 80s."
"The zone from central Texas into the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri still has wet soil from recent rain," Merrill added. "The humidity levels will end up highest in this area, leading to extremely humid conditions this week. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will peak around 110 degrees this week in this zone."
With the core of the heat dome centered over the southern Plains, it will be difficult for thunderstorms to occur.
"The bottom line is that this has the look of a long-lasting heat wave with limited rainfall," Merrill said. "Drought will expand through the central Plains by mid-August and worsen in Kansas and Nebraska, where there are already pockets of moderate to extreme drought."
As the ground dries out, temperatures will trend upward. Multiple days will have highs ranging from the mid-90s to the low 100s. In some areas, actual temperatures could even push 110 F as average soil moisture transitions to abnormally dry to drought conditions.
Some tropical moisture can push westward from the Gulf and into parts of central and southern Texas and spill northward from Mexico and into the Deserts, Rockies and High Plains in the form of periodic thunderstorms.
Pattern to bring rounds of cooler, less humid air to Northeast
As the heat dome builds and meanders over the Southern states, a large southward dip in the jet stream will develop and persist from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast.
This pattern will result in frequent fronts that bring extended bouts of cool and less humid air. Heat and humidity will surge ahead of the fronts, but likely only for a day or so here and there. In other words, the relentless sauna bath feel and torrential downpours leading to flash flooding should go away as the pattern evolves.
However, there can still be quick-moving severe thunderstorms with brief downpours and strong wind gusts. The pattern will be a guard against tropical storms from making a northward run along the Atlantic coast of the U.S., as any storm that forms would be shunted out to sea or directed westward across the Gulf.
A dose of cool air will visit the Northeast early this week.
Heat will briefly surge back in later in the week in the Northeast. However, that heat is not expected to be of long duration and will likely be followed by an even more impressive surge of cooler and less humid air for the upcoming weekend.
Areas from the central and northern Plains to the Ohio Valley and Southeast will need to be on guard for long-traveling complexes of damaging thunderstorms, known as derechos, in the pattern.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Pair of Alert Days for Heat and Storms this Weekend
Welcome to the weekend! As we're going into the final days of July, it'll certainly feel like summer across Maryland. High temperatures will peak in the low 90s, which isn't out of the ordinary for this time of year however, as we've said many times this summer so far, the humidity will make the heat so much worse. Continued elevated humidity combined with 90+° temperatures AND a chance for stronger storms have today and Sunday marked as WJZ First Alert Weather days. Feels like temperatures approach (and some areas will feel over) 100° during the afternoons on both Saturday and Sunday. As you may expect on a July afternoon, we also have potential for storms to develop. A warm front will be moving in today and briefly stall nearby, keeping the chance for storms for Sunday. Isolated storms could be severe with damaging winds as the main severe threat. Any showers could also produce heavy rainfall. Once the front moves out, the weather quiets down for a couple of days. The temperatures will stay on the warm side and humidity stays high, as well. A mid- to late week cold front fires off a few storms on Wednesday and Thursday before more quiet weather for the end of the week. There will be a difference with the later set of drier days . . . temperatures and humidity both appear to drop substantially. The first few days of August appear to be comfortable with highs running below normal. Hang on for just a few days as better weather is on the way. The First Alert weather team will be keeping you updated every step of the way.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Late July's oppressive heat forecast isn't normal
As the clock ticks down the final days of July, thermometers will climb across much of the eastern half of the U.S., creating a dangerous and long-lasting heat wave that will put millions at risk of heat stroke and other illnesses. Those in the path of the heat wave should plan to take extra measures to stay cool through at least July 30. Keep things chill by staying in air-conditioned spaces, visit friends with pools, pile up the popsicles and lemonade and pull out the recipe for your favorite cold summer salad. 'This will be a long duration heat wave, with little to no overnight relief and high humidity levels, leading to an increased danger,' the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center said on July 24. Daily highs in the upper-90s to near 100 degrees are forecast to combine with humidity to create conditions where the 'feels like' temperatures could exceed 110-115 degrees, according to a July 25 forecast by Jennifer Tate at the prediction center. A dome of high pressure sitting over the eastern part of the country will help trap the heat while abundant moisture in the air will make actual temperatures feel several degrees warmer. The unusual heat and humidity could linger for several days, keeping heat risk in the major to extreme categories through the end of the month across much of the eastern United States. The dangerous heat will be longest lasting across the Tennessee Valley/mid-South region and the Southeast into the Carolinas, said a Friday forecast by Jennifer Tate at the Weather Prediction Center. Morning lows in the 70s "will not provide much relief." Farther north, into the Midwest, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic can expect hotter-than-normal temperatures into the 90s. Forecast maps from the weather service show the United States blanketed in warm shades of purple, red and orange, signifying intense heat. By July 30 or 31, a cold front is expected to help cool things in the Ohio valley region. Anyone who absolutely must be outside should take extra precautions to stay hydrated and keep their body safe, according to the American Red Cross. The heat isn't the only danger presented by the high pressure area dominating conditions. Interactions in the atmosphere around the perimeter of the heat dome are forecast to trigger thunderstorms and heavy rain. 'Not your grandmother's heat wave' It has always been hot during the summer. "We've always had heat waves," said Max Holmes, president and CEO of the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. "But it's happening a lot more, with greater intensity, greater duration and greater frequency." "This is exactly what we expected to happen," Holmes said. "As the earth gets warmer, we see more extremes and it's the extremes that get us. They kill us. They make us sick." Heat may be the most obvious, but there are others, including drought and the extreme rainfall that caused the deadly flash flooding in Texas Hill Country on July 4, he said. These extremes can be seen in the current heat wave, with forecasts for record breaking temperatures under the high pressure area, and intense rainfall in storms around the perimeter of the heat dome. June 2025 was the seventh hottest June on record, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. During the first two weeks of July 2025, temperatures across the country were an average of 1.5 degrees warmer than the most recent 30-year normal. Historical data from the weather service shows average temperatures in July have trended roughly 2.7 degrees warmer since 1950. If a human body temperature is normally 98.6 degrees and warmed 2.7 degrees, it would be the equivalent of having a fever of 101.3. In nature, such an increase has a similar effect, scientists explain. Average overnight temperatures across the country have climbed even higher than daytime high temperatures, the weather service data shows. That means the landscape, trees and buildings don't get a chance to cool down, so they can heat up even faster the next day. Why is it so hot? If you live in a city, the answer might surprise you. Extreme levels of heat stress have more than doubled over the past 40 years, according to NASA, and that trend is forecast to continue. An analysis by Climate Central, published July 21, concluded human-caused climate change made the recent excessive heat at least three times more likely for nearly half the population of the United States. 'This is not your grandmother's heat wave," said Kristina Dahl, Climate Central's vice president of science. "Yes, July is usually a hot month, but climate change is making this heat wave significantly hotter — and therefore more dangerous — than heat waves of the past.' How hot is too hot for people? Prolonged exposure to warmer temperatures can cause serious, life-threatening complications including dehydration, a rapid or irregular heart beat and exacerbation of existing medical conditions. Scientists in recent studies have indicated the warmest temperature that human bodies can withstand without losing their ability to regulate temperature is lower than commonly believed. They've come to rely on a measurement known as wet bulb temperature to determine the dangers. It uses a thermometer with a wet wick over its bulb and measures the effect of humidity on temperatures. Humidity can impair the body's essential cooling mechanism – sweat doesn't evaporate. Scientists previously thought the warmest temperature a human body could take before losing its ability to regulate its own temperature was roughly 95 degrees at 100% humidity or 115 degrees at 50% humidity. A 2022 study co-authored by scientists at Penn State concluded the actual maximum temperature humans could take for prolonged periods was even lower using a wet-bulb thermometer, about 87 degrees at 100% humidity, even for people who are young and healthy. Among those even more at risk, such as the elderly and young children, the maximum temperature is probably even lower, the study found. See how a heat dome will trap dangerous temperatures over the central and southern U.S. What can you do to protect yourself and others from extreme heat? In short, the Red Cross advises: Know who's most at risk – Look out for older adults, young children, pregnant women, those with disabilities or medications for a chronic health conditions, people who live alone and athletes. Stay hydrated – Drink water every 20 minutes, even if you aren't thirsty and avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol. Stay cool – Seek out an air-conditioned location if your home gets too hot, limit outdoor activity and dress in lightweight, loose-fitting clothes. If your air-conditioning goes off, it might be cooler outside in the shade than staying inside the house. Act fast – Take measures to cool a person down quickly if they develop signs of heat exhaustion or stroke, such as cramps, heavy sweating, clammy skin, dizziness, fainting or nausea and vomiting. Move them to a cooler place, remove extra clothing and cool them with a wet cloth or cool bath and have them sip water or a sports drink, but not "energy" drinks. Where can you get more information? Resources are available to learn more about the dangers of heat-related illnesses and how to help yourself and others stay safe, but not as many as there used to be. A heat risk tool maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track heat risk and heat illnesses was taken out of service this year and is no longer active. The website is still available, but no new information is being added. Trump administration officials have taken steps to curb what they refer to as climate alarmism, and have changed wording about climate change, no longer including it as an environmental topic on the home page of the Environmental Protection Agency, and stopped maintaining other websites, such as and a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page to track heat risk and heat illnesses. A tool on the CDC page now shows an error message. Reporting by the administration's Department of Government Efficiency shows the termination of more than 350 grants that mentioned climate change, including dozens that mentioned heat specifically. NOAA's proposed budget for the coming year stated it would no longer support the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, the federal website on heat and heat-related illnesses that brings together information from NOAA and more than a dozen other departments and agencies. For now, the comprehensive guide launched during the Biden administration to try to reduce the rising rate of heat illnesses in the United States is still online. To Holmes, much of the information being obscured is factual, not political. "There are combinations of temperature and humidity the human body just can't tolerate," Holmes said. "Trying to hide the truth doesn't help people." "I see zero rationale for trying to bury that information. It's shameful that our government is doing so," he said. "It's not a partisan thing, it's a fact thing." Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, weather, the environment and other news. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This heat forecast for eastern US in late July isn't normal Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Washington Post
CWG Live updates: Heat persists through the weekend into next week
Welcome to updated around-the-clock by Capital Weather Gang meteorologists. Happening now: Not as hot as Friday but still hot enough. Storms could be more widespread than Friday. Highs in the 90s. What's next? More 90s through midweek. After temperatures tick down slightly this weekend, they're back up through Wednesday. Occasional storms, too. Today's daily digit — 3/10: Down a few degrees from Friday, plus it's the weekend. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Saturday): Partial sunshine and not quite as hot. Another shot at showers and storms pops up late day, mainly after 3 p.m. Any storms could produce heavy rain and isolated damaging wind gusts. Highs near 90 north to the mid-90s in the city. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: Showers or storms could be with us through about 9 p.m. Temperatures are again slow to drop through the night. Lows about 72 to 78. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow (Sunday): Another hot and sultry one. Perhaps a bit cloudier than today. Highs are similar, maybe a degree or lower, with largely near 90 to the low 90s. Late-day showers or storms are again a risk. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Showers and storms are possible through about midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy. Across the 70s again for lows. Confidence: Medium-High A look ahead Partly to mostly sunny for Monday. It should end up around 90 north to the mid-90s south. Confidence: Medium Back to the mid- and upper 90s for Tuesday and Wednesday. Showers and storms could pop up in the late-day heat either day, with the better odds probably Wednesday as a front approaches. Good news: It should head back to the 80s by Thursday. Confidence: Medium Today's daily digit — 3/10: Down a few degrees from Friday, plus it's the weekend. | 🤚 Your call? The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a 0-to-10 scale. Forecast in detail Today (Saturday): Partial sunshine and not quite as hot. Another shot at showers and storms pops up late day, mainly after 3 p.m. Any storms could produce heavy rain and isolated damaging wind gusts. Highs near 90 north to the mid-90s in the city. Confidence: Medium-High Tonight: Showers or storms could be with us through about 9 p.m. Temperatures are again slow to drop through the night. Lows about 72 to 78. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow (Sunday): Another hot and sultry one. Perhaps a bit cloudier than today. Highs are similar, maybe a degree or lower, with largely near 90 to the low 90s. Late-day showers or storms are again a risk. Confidence: Medium-High Tomorrow night: Showers and storms are possible through about midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy. Across the 70s again for lows. Confidence: Medium-High A look ahead Partly to mostly sunny for Monday. It should end up around 90 north to the mid-90s south. Confidence: Medium Back to the mid- and upper 90s for Tuesday and Wednesday. Showers and storms could pop up in the late-day heat either day, with the better odds probably Wednesday as a front approaches. Good news: It should head back to the 80s by Thursday. Confidence: Medium
