The shift of this expansive band of heat toward the coast and farther north helped send temperatures soaring in New England, he said. It was part of a larger high-pressure aloft system, a type of phenomena that can produce heat domes.
Descending westerly winds off the mountain ranges in New England helped to further compress the heat into the lower elevations, which meant higher temperatures in many cities, Mr. Orrison added.
The continued burning of greenhouse gases means that the temperature of the atmosphere is increasing almost everywhere, said Jason Smerdon, a professor at the Columbia Climate School.
The combination of high temperatures and humid conditions created a double whammy effect, since a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. So the 'feels-like' temperature from combined heat and humidity made the event particularly severe, he said.
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