Right now, a major severe weather event—the heat dome affecting most of the country—has priorities shifted. Today, it reaches more than 100 million viewers nationwide. This phenomenon acts to trap hot air over an area, leading to ground-level temperatures that can be life-threatening. Extreme heat has settled over much of the central U.S. They are currently advancing eastward, triggering excessive heat warnings from Oklahoma to West Virginia.
That same heat dome is still creating life-threatening heat indices from the deep mid-south up to the central and northern parts of the mid-Mississippi Valley. Based on preliminary weather forecasts, this heat event is a particularly slow mover. Its impacts are lasting longer and promoting the danger of heat-related sickness. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that this will be a prolonged heat wave, stating, “This will be a long duration heat wave, with little to no overnight relief and high humidity levels, leading to an increased danger.”
By late Friday afternoon, New York City is expecting to feel like 106°F. Look for a repeat along the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts. As of this morning, heat advisories stretch from Portland, Maine, all the way down to Wilmington, North Carolina. In many regions, daytime heat index temperatures are climbing 10 to 15°F above average due to the relentless heat dome.
In the southeast, the heat index is projected to exceed 115°F. This kind of extreme heat is deadly for anyone without access to adequate cooling and hydration. The brutal hot weather is exacerbated by high humidity, particularly in the corn belt. Here, the worse phenomenon, “corn sweat” makes the conditions much worse. This increases the heat index by up to 10°F.
Overnight temperatures will be equally oppressive and muggy, with this adding to the danger of heat-related health issues. A heat dome is settling down over the area, boosting humidity levels in the southern parts. All too familiar, forecast persistent and dangerous conditions to plague the Southeast and Tennessee Valley through the weekend.
Residents in most impacted communities must be able to act immediately to protect themselves from extreme heat. Looking to learn more about keeping cool during extreme heat events?