These US States are Hit Worst By Mexican Heat Dome

Heat, thermometer shows the temperature is hot in the sky, Summer.

A heat dome is making its way north from Mexico, and some southern states are bracing for 111 degrees Fahrenheit or more, according to meteorologists.

Meteorologists are predicting record-breaking temperatures in the West this week, and many states are under extreme heat watches. 

When the atmosphere acts as a lid or cap, trapping hot ocean air, a meteorological phenomenon known as a heat dome is formed, resulting in extremely high temperatures. The reason behind this is that regions with persistently high-pressure atmospheric conditions are unable to experience convection or precipitation, and the hot air is trapped within.

The “heat dome” has been responsible for droughts, water shortages, and scores of fatalities in Mexico. The dome is currently making its way into the United States.

The heatwave that has been sweeping throughout neighboring Mexico since March has caused the death of 48 people. Cities in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, and Texas should be on high alert.

Dallas, Houston, Mesa, Austin, New Orleans, El Paso, Henderson, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tucson, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Tampa are among the cities anticipated to be impacted.

In a heat dome, the air is heated to a higher temperature in high-pressure systems because it is compressed and subjected to repeated heating by the sun. A cycle of ever-increasing heat is created when the warm air tries to rise but is pushed back down by the high-pressure system.

Also, rapid evaporation rates caused by extreme heat can reduce soil moisture, and drought conditions might be worsened.

In 2021, a significant heat dome occurred in the Pacific Northwest, affecting portions of Canada and the US.

Wildfires broke out all around, crops failed, and death rates spiked because of the scorching weather. The heat dome caused many people to die from heat exhaustion, especially those already at a disadvantage since they did not have access to air conditioning.

According to the National Weather Service, most of the United States may anticipate above-average temperatures through August, with the Southwest and western regions likely to have the hottest temperatures. This might be the beginning of another brutal summer of heat waves across the country.