Heat dome continues to raise temps across South and Midwest, will begin to move into Northeast
The 'heat dome' that has hovered over tens of millions of people in the South and Midwest this week is now spreading into parts of the Northeast on Thursday, according to the Weather Channel.
A heat dome is a high-pressure bubble in the upper levels of the atmosphere that traps hot air and sun radiation underneath it. The Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit focused on climate change advocacy and education, compares heat domes to putting a lid on a hot pot; the lid keeps the hot air from leaving the pot and keeps the contents of the pot hot for a longer time.
While late July usually is the hottest time of the year for most of the U.S., AccuWeather reports these temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the historical average.
An 'Extreme Heat Watch' advisory alert, which warns 'dangerous heat is possible,' was issued for West Virginia on Thursday. An 'Extreme Heat Warning' alert, which warns 'dangerous heat is happening or about to happen,' was sent to areas in Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York on Wednesday.
Some of these extreme heat warnings were sent to major cities like Boston, Detroit, New York City and Washington, D.C., where temperatures will reach the mid-90s by Friday, the Weather Channel reported. However, temperatures in these areas are expected to drop over the weekend.
Parts of the Midwest and the South will still be in temperatures near or above 100 degrees through the rest of the weekend, and potentially into the middle of next week.
Florida, which has been experiencing hot and muggy conditions across the state all week, will continue to experience high temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s on Thursday and Friday, according to Florida Disaster, a division of the state's Department of Emergency Management. The state's heat index values will be particularly high on the western side of the Florida Panhandle, compared to the rest of the state. (The National Weather Service (NWS) 'heat index' is a calculator that estimates what outdoor temperatures feel like to the human body.)
Experts cannot determine exactly when the heat dome will end. Heat domes take a long time to break down, Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist at the NWS's Weather Prediction Center, told Scientific American, so the extreme heat is expected to last through the rest of the week for some areas.
'Corn sweat' drives up humidity in the Midwest
As heat index values in the Midwest peaked this week because of the heat dome, high humidity levels have contributed to 'corn sweat' in these areas.
Corn sweat is a colloquial nickname for evapotranspiration, which is when plants, like corn stalks, release water vapor into the air and essentially turn it into additional humidity that can drive up humidity levels and heat index numbers in the area, according to the Weather Channel.
This mostly affects people in the Midwest, with residents in Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois and Kentucky experiencing heat index numbers in triple-digits because of the corn sweat, the Washington Post reported.
The corn sweat has also affected these areas' dew points, which correlate to how much moisture is in the air, NWS explains. The higher the dew point, the more muggy and wet the air will feel.
A dew point minimum of 75 equates to an extreme humidity level and feels 'oppressive, like a tropical rainforest,' according to the Washington Post. In areas affected by the corn sweat, such as southern Missouri, the dew point is at 88.
Northeast, Midwest also warned about severe thunderstorms
AccuWeather meteorologists alerted on Wednesday that severe thunderstorms are expected to move across the Midwest before hitting the Northeast in the next few days. These storms carry the potential for high winds and hail, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
The worst of the storms are expected to hit throughout Thursday afternoon and evening, mostly affecting cities like Chicago, Detroit, Oklahoma City and Kansas City, before shifting into the Northeast on Friday.
While it's rare to see precipitation happen within a heat dome, severe thunderstorms are likely to form around its edges, often called the 'ring of fire.'
"In the world of meteorology, the ring of fire deals with thunderstorms along the northern edges of strong upper-levels high,' AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. 'Oftentimes, this setup produces severe thunderstorms along the northern edges of the heat.'
How to stay safe in extreme heat
Extreme heat is the deadliest type of weather in the U.S., even more so than tornadoes, flooding or hurricanes, according to research by the NWS. Prolonged extreme heat, as is expected in the heat dome this week, is especially dangerous for people who do not have access to air-conditioning or who spend a lot of time outdoors.
If you live in a place that will be affected by the heat dome, here's what to do to help protect yourself:
Stay indoors and cool for as long as you can. Here is a list of public places you can go to for free air-conditioning.
Stay hydrated. Adding electrolytes to your drinking water can further protect you from dehydration.
If you need to go outside, protect your skin by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, sun-protective clothing and UV-blocking sunglasses.
Understand and look out for symptoms of heat-related illness. These include heavy sweating, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea and headaches. If you are experiencing these symptoms, move to a cool area to rest and hydrate.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Tsunami warnings caused panic. How close to disaster did we come?
The earthquake that hit a Russian island was among the most powerful ever recorded and forecasters immediately feared it could spur cataclysmic walls of water thousands of miles away in Hawaii, California and Alaska. But hours later, evacuation warnings were lifted for nearly all of the United States. Damage was determined to be minimal ‒ at least in the United States so far, with Honolulu's dangerous traffic gridlock the main impact. Earthquakes roughly the size of the 8.8 magnitude quake off Russia's coast have triggered deadly tsunamis before, including the one that struck Japan in 2011, killing 18,000 people, and one in the Indian Ocean in 2004 that killed more than 200,000. The giant waves haven't materialized this time, although some parts of Alaska's Aleutian Islands remain under a less urgent advisory. Many factors go into whether a tsunami will devastate communities or become mostly a false alarm. AccuWeather Meteorologist Peyton Simmers said forecasters didn't expect the Russian earthquake to generate waves in the United States as large as Japan saw in 2011. Still, Simmers said it could have been extremely perilous. "It could have been a far worse situation, that's for sure," Simmers told USA TODAY. "It could have caused a lot more damage." Authorities said those returning to their homes should exercise caution and keep an eye out for damage. In Alaska, forecasters said tsunami waves could continue their impact for days and make currents dangerous for anyone at the beach. How close to disaster did we come? Experts didn't expect a catastrophe akin to the tsunamis caused by some of the other largest earthquakes recorded – such as the 1960 Chilean quake of 9.5 magnitude that sent a tsunami to the United States, killing 61 in Hawaii and two along the West Coast or the Japan tsunami from a 9.0 magnitude earthquake – Simmers said. That's probably what many were worried about when they heeded evacuation orders and moved to higher ground or higher levels of buildings the afternoon of July 29. Forecasters predicted waves between 3 and 9 feet with a projected maximum of 9.8 feet to hit Hawaii. Instead, the highest wave amplitudes recorded were just about 6 feet, Simmers said. By way of comparison, Japan's tsunami generated waves that reached about 130 feet in the prefecture of Iwate. Part of the reason it wasn't worse here, Simmers said, was the distance. The tsunami wave generated by the Russian earthquake caused some damage there but had to travel thousands of miles before it could reach Hawaii, which is in a uniquely vulnerable position in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where it can be reached by tsunamis originating from all directions, he said. Earthquakes cause tsunamis when they're big enough and close enough to the ocean floor, causing their energy to displace the ocean floor. When the ocean floor suddenly rises or falls, so does the water above it, creating a tsunami. A distant tsunami is generally only a threat when an earthquake's magnitude is at least 8.0, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But as the tsunami travels, it loses energy, Simmers said. Other factors that impact how serious a tsunami is include the shape of the coastline and the shape and size of a continental shelf, Simmers said. In this case, the size of the tectonic plate rupture and subsequent sea-level rise was not as large as comparably sized earthquakes that have caused much more damaging tsunamis, Simmers said. The relationship between earthquake size and tsunami size isn't quite straightforward, either, according to Brandon Shuck, an assistant professor of geology and geophysics at Louisiana State University. Add that to the near impossibility of knowing just how much an earthquake has caused the sea floor to shift, and it makes predicting a tsunami's size and impact difficult, Shuck said. "Nevertheless, the earthquake did produce a trans-Pacific tsunami ‒ a tsunami that can be detected from traveling all the way across the Pacific Ocean. This is still a huge and notable event, placing it firmly in the top 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded, and the tsunami warnings were all warranted," Shuck said. Could a catastrophic tsunami happen in the US? Hawaii, Alaska and some areas of the West Coast have a long history with tsunamis. Hawaii is one of the most susceptible spots in the world for tsunamis, and, on average, it experiences a destructive tsunami once every 11 years. It's not a matter of if, but when, another one happens there, Simmers said. Hawaii sits in a zone infamous for seismic activity known as the Ring of Fire. Huge, destructive earthquakes are rare, but it only takes one to trigger a tsunami that could have extreme devastation in Hawaii or the West Coast, Simmers said. "There's always that chance," he said. "In theory, it can, and probably will one day. When that is: who knows." In 1946, an 8.6-magnitude earthquake in the Aleutian subduction zone generated a tsunami in the Pacific that reached as far south as Antarctica, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The April 1 tsunami that year devastated the town of Hilo, Hawaii, on the Big Island. More than 150 people were killed when the tsunami, with runup wave heights between 33 and 55 feet, struck. Most of the deaths were in Hilo. A formal tsunami warning system wasn't established until after the 1946 catastrophe, but the Coast Guard issued warnings to many communities. In some communities, though, the warnings had the reverse effect, drawing onlookers to the coast to observe the phenomenon, according to a 1993 account from the NOAA. "This event happened on April 1, April Fool's Day, and some mistook the warning and reports of a tsunami as a hoax," the NOAA report reads. Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Flash flood threat ahead of dramatic cooldown in the Northeast
While not all locations in the Northeast will experience torrential downpours and strong thunderstorms into Friday, areas that do may receive several inches of rain could have to deal with flash flooding, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. Noticeably cooler and less humid air is expected to arrive, offering relief to residents and visitors exhausted by recent heat. There is a significant amount of moisture in the atmosphere in the Northeast, and that has contributed to flash flooding through the summer, when it has been released in the form of torrential downpours. For parts of the Northeast, a one-two punch as an approaching cool front and a corresponding ripple in the jet stream will produce precipitation in the form of heavy rainfall into Friday and late this week to early next week in the Southeast. The first heavy rain and flash flood threat will be an eastward extension of downpours from the Midwest. This band of downpours is forecast to expand from northern Indiana and southern Michigan to northern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York late Wednesday night to Thursday, before weakening and moving out of the region. At the same time, spotty severe thunderstorms are forecast for parts of the Northeast, but they will not be as widespread as previous severe weather episodes in prior weeks and more recently in the Central states. A flash flood risk will exist along a significant portion of the mid-Atlantic region to southern New England into Friday as the front and jet stream dip begin to join together. This joint effort will unleash a swath of heavy rain. The zone from eastern Pennsylvania, northeastern Maryland and northern Delaware to the lower Hudson Valley of New York, including New York City, Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island is expected to receive 2-4 inches of rain and an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 8 inches. Rainfall of this intensity can easily overwhelm storm drains and flood city streets, subways and poor drainage areas along highways. Major travel disruptions are possible for both I-95 commutes on Thursday, as well as on Friday morning. It can also lead to rapid rises on small streams and a surge of water on rivers, posing risks to campers near creeks and low-lying areas. A greater concentration of severe thunderstorms packing strong wind gusts is foreseen on Friday from southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey to the Carolinas. As torrential downpours, flash flooding and severe thunderstorms focus on the southeastern corner of the U.S. this weekend, much cooler and less humid air will move into the Northeast, resulting in more comfortable air for many. Energy demands will ease, air conditioners can be turned off, and open windows in urban areas will let in cool air for a the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+ High pressure from central Canada will take control of the weekend in the Northeast in what is usually the muggiest part of the summer. Typical highs range from the 80s to the low 90s, while nighttime lows range from the low 60s to the low 70s this time of the year. However, as the cool air takes root this weekend, daytime highs will range from the 60s in the mountains to the low 80s in many I-95, mid-Atlantic cities. Lows will mainly range from 40s in the mountains to the refreshing 60s in most I-95 cities. A few spots may even dip into the 30s over the coldest mountain spots during the weekend. With the much cooler air heading in, humidity levels will drop significantly, which has been relentless in coastal areas since early June. "The difference in pressure between the high building into the north and a developing area of storminess along the southern Atlantic coast will create a stiff breeze in some coastal areas of New England and the mid-Atlantic this weekend," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek warned. A steady or gusty northeast wind can stir up the surf and lead to a higher risk of rip currents. While astronomical tides are unremarkable this weekend, the persistent onshore breeze can push water levels to 1-2 feet above typical levels and may lead to minor flooding at times of high tide in low-lying areas. Next week, the effects of Canadian high pressure will slowly erode, but Monday and Tuesday should continue to provide cooler and more comfortable conditions for sleep, outdoor activities and general relief from recent humidity. 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.
Fast Company
6 hours ago
- Fast Company
This influencer is braving the brutal summer without A/C to help families pay electric bills
If you've been thanking the heavens for your A/C this week, spare a thought for Paul Farmer, who's enduring the peak of Arizona's summer without it—by choice. Last year, Farmer went without air conditioning out of financial necessity. This year, even with his finances in better shape, he's voluntarily forgoing it again. Since May, he's been documenting his 'no A/C' challenge on social media, aiming to hold out until September 22, the official end of summer. Why would anyone put themselves through that, you're probably asking? With the challenge, Farmer hopes to raise awareness, and funds, for those struggling to pay their electric bills in the extreme heat. With indoor temperatures regularly creeping toward 100 degrees, Farmer has had to get creative. He's placed tinfoil in the windows to keep out the heat and built a makeshift air-conditioning unit using a foam cooler. At night, he mostly sleeps on the floor, surrounded by ice packs, with multiple fans blasting.
