'A lid on a pot': How does a heat dome work?
Briefly

A heat dome is enveloping much of the eastern U.S., resulting in dangerously high temperatures and prompting warnings for approximately 160 million residents. The National Weather Service explains that a heat dome forms when high pressure traps warm air and inhibits cloud formation, leading to persistent and oppressive heat conditions. Specific areas are reporting temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, with heat indices reaching alarming levels. Experts like Alex Lamers from the National Weather Service analogize a heat dome to a pot with a lid, wherein high atmospheric pressure enhances heat retention in a locality, contributing to prolonged heat waves.
A heat dome occurs when high pressure traps warm air, leading to extreme heat across the eastern U.S., affecting 160 million people with warnings in effect.
It's like a lid on a pot; high pressure allows heat to build, causing temperatures to soar for days, or even weeks, across affected regions.
Read at www.npr.org
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