‘Sauna-like’ heat dome is set to smother 50 MILLION Americans with temperatures exceeding 100f

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Fifty million Americans are bracing for a searing ‘heat dome’ weather event that will bring tropical humidity, temperatures of up to 110f and searing conditions set to smash records set in 1925. 

The extreme summer weather will begin next Tuesday, and intensify from Wednesday, with Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina set to endure conditions up to 20f hotter than they’d normally see at this time of year. 

Alabama will record temperatures of up to 102f, Georgia is predicted to see 103f weather, and parts of South Carolina will also nudge into triple figures too. 

But hot weather combined with extreme humidity mean parts of the Interstate 20 corridor across southern states will feel as hot as 110f, even if the weather is actually a few degrees colder.

That has sparked fears for the elderly and people on low incomes who may not be able to afford to run air conditioning to avoid falling ill in the ferocious weather.  

Excessive heat advisories are likely to be issued for those areas. Macon in Georgia is forecast to hit 102f or 103f degrees on Wednesday and Thursday – smashing the 101f record set in 1995.

Birmingham in Alabama is likely to hit 102f on Wednesday and Thursday, just two degrees off all-time records for the area. 

Meanwhile, Atlanta has been advised to brace for 98f weather on Tuesday, and 100f conditions Wednesday and Thursday. Hitting triple figures would break heat records set during the Second World War. 

And there’ll be little respite for people in Nashville, with the Tennessee city likely to see roasting 101f weather on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

If the forecasts bear out, they’ll be the hottest days since 1988, and sit just one degree off an all-time record for the area. 

South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas and inland Louisiana should all see weather that’s at least 100f over three days next week.

And in Dallas, the mercury won’t drop below 81f overnight, meaning Texans will be running their air-con non-stop.  

The forecast for Wednesday, June 22, shows vast swathes of the United States with extremely high temperatures

The forecast for Wednesday, June 22, shows vast swathes of the United States with extremely high temperatures

The heat dome is created by atmospheric pressure effectively creating a lid over the country. Radiation is unable to escape, but the sun’s rays can still get through, creating intense heat on land.

It will eventually begin to flatten out from the middle of next week – meaning temperatures will subsequently spread across the areas set to see the hottest weather.  

‘High temperatures alone (but more certainly heat indexes) Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday could necessitate Heat Advisories across portions of the area,’ wrote the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City, Georgia.

The 100 degree temperatures and Gulf humidity will make for heat indexes potentially nearing 110 degrees. 

Hottest in America next Wednesday will be parts of Arizona and southern California, with blistering temperatures of 109f – although those areas are famed for their searing summer weather. 

Before next week’s heat dome, the Plains and Montana will both see conditions of up to 100f on Saturday – way above the usual 79f seen at this time of year. 

Montana was hit by once in a millennium flooding earlier this week, as the balmy weather caused winter snows to melt far more quickly than usual, after a cooler-than-expected May led to the white stuff hanging around for longer than usual.   

Water tubers cool off in New Braunfels, Texas, on Friday

Water tubers cool off in New Braunfels, Texas, on Friday

Women sunbathe in their bikinis in Central Park on Friday, amid 88 degree temperatures in the city

Women sunbathe in their bikinis in Central Park on Friday, amid 88 degree temperatures in the city

People in Manhattan's Central Park are seen on Friday enjoying the hot sunshine

People in Manhattan’s Central Park are seen on Friday enjoying the hot sunshine

 

On Friday, parts of Colorado were placed under a heat advisory

On Friday, parts of Colorado were placed under a heat advisory

Louisiana was also being exposed to extremes of temperatures, with the orange section under a heat advisory

Louisiana was also being exposed to extremes of temperatures, with the orange section under a heat advisory

The extreme heat is thanks to an upper-level ridge, The Washington Post explained – essentially, a crest in the jet stream. 

The ridge pushed high-altitude winds and storminess to the north over Canada and the Great Lakes, with sunshine and high pressure building in to the south. 

High pressure areas bring sinking air, which warms up and dries out.

Forecasters say the heat dome is likely to linger for the next week or two. 

Heat domes are normal for summer – but experts say they’ve become more intense because of climate change.  



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