An intense heat dome is currently enveloping much of America, unleashing dangerous triple-digit temperatures across several cities for the first time in over a decade.
This alarming heat wave is particularly concerning as it strikes areas such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia early in the summer, a time when many residents are not yet acclimated to high temperatures.
A dome of high pressure is lingering over the eastern United States, trapping hot air from the Southwest after it has already affected the Midwest.
Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist and former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), reported that a significant measurement of high pressure broke records on Monday.
This was indicated to be the third-highest reading for any date, leading experts to categorize this as a “near historic” event.
Forecasters anticipate the worst of the heat to peak in Northeastern cities on Tuesday, a situation likened to an air fryer by Maue, who warned that the next few days will test the endurance of city residents who are more vulnerable to such extreme conditions.
A heat dome forms when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a container, trapping heat and humidity in the region.
A heat wave typically persists for three days or more, characterized by unusually high temperatures.
The severity of the heat will be felt across nearly three-quarters of the U.S. population, with 245 million people experiencing temperatures of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 32 degrees Celsius) or higher on Monday.
On Tuesday, around 33 million residents, or nearly 10% of the country, will contend with blistering 100-degree heat (about 38 degrees Celsius).
According to the government’s heat health advisory, the highest levels of heat risk stretch from Chicago to Pittsburgh, impacting regions from North Carolina to New York.
The occurrence of triple-digit temperatures in places where it is uncommon is raising concerns.
New York has not witnessed temperatures reaching 100 degrees since 2011, while Philadelphia has not seen that mark since 2012, noted Bernadette Woods Placky, chief meteorologist at Climate Central.
In downtown Baltimore, the mercury soared into the high 90s by early Monday afternoon, resulting in increased visits to local cooling centers.
St. Vincent de Paul’s resource center welcomed numerous people trying to escape the oppressive heat, while the nearby historic Broadway Market food hall had to close early after its air conditioning malfunctioned.
The unrelenting temperatures have led to the cancellation of community events in west Baltimore, where Eric Davis Sr. expressed concern about the heat affecting children’s well-being.
Davis emphasized, “You can’t have kids getting heat stroke. It’s just too hot today.”
NOAA meteorologist David Roth highlighted the difficulty of acclimating to summer heat, particularly with this sudden heat dome impacting areas that could experience temperature increases of up to 40 degrees compared to recent weeks.
The current heat wave aligns with a broader trend of rising global temperatures.
Summers in the United States are now recorded as 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 degrees Celsius) warmer than they were 50 years ago, based on NOAA data.
Climate change, driven by the burning of coal, oil, and gas, has contributed to making this heat wave three times more likely than in a world without industrial greenhouse gases, according to calculations by the climate science nonprofit Climate Central.
As the situation develops, humidity levels have become a critical factor in assessing the comfort and dangers associated with this heat wave.
While Maue predicts that dry air may result in temperatures being a few degrees hotter than NOAA projections but somewhat more comfortable, other meteorologists fear that heightened humidity may make conditions severely oppressive.
Jason Furtado, a meteorology professor at the University of Oklahoma, pointed out the importance of humidity stemming from recent wet conditions, which could exacerbate the heat indices significantly.
Woods Placky forecasts dew points, a key indicator of humidity, could soar into the 70s, with some areas potentially reaching dew points near 80, which creates an oppressive ‘swimming pool’ effect in the atmosphere.
If this extreme heat had occurred later in the summer, it might not have been as hazardous, as people would have had more time to adjust to the rising temperatures.
However, experts warn that this early summer heat wave, just days prior to the solstice, will likely shock many systems.
“It will be a shock to the system,” Woods Placky concluded.
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