Scorching US heat wave to hit 70 million people with third ‘heat dome’ in month

An estimated 70 million people in the United States are bracing for excessive heat as a third significant "heat dome" event gathers strength over the weekend, blanketing much of the country's southern and central regions. This atmospheric phenomenon, characterized by a high-pressure system trapping heat, is expected to bring dangerously high temperatures from the Gulf of Mexico coast to the Great Plains and the Midwest.

Temperatures are forecast to reach between 95-105F (35-40C) in many areas, with the possibility of some southwestern desert regions experiencing highs of 120F (48C). This intense heat is projected to linger into the following week, offering little respite, particularly as nighttime temperatures are also expected to remain elevated, compounded by high humidity.

While heatwaves are a common feature of American summers, the increasing frequency and severity of these events are directly linked to the human-caused climate crisis. The burning of fossil fuels has escalated global temperatures, leading to more extreme weather patterns. This summer has already seen significant heat dome events, including one in early July that disrupted Independence Day celebrations and another that caused record-breaking temperatures in Montana.

This latest heat dome could potentially set new records in the Denver area, and an extreme heat warning has been issued for western Nebraska, where temperatures may reach 108F (42C). Heat is the deadliest weather phenomenon in the U.S., and the current conditions pose a particular threat to older adults, pregnant individuals, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions.

Meanwhile, dangerously hot conditions are also affecting Europe, with wildfires forcing hundreds of thousands to flee Spain and France. A June heatwave in France reportedly caused thousands of deaths. The U.S. is also battling 88 active wildfires. Climate experts emphasize that these intensifying heat waves align with predictions made decades ago regarding the impacts of climate change, highlighting the urgent need to address the escalating crisis.

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We are experiencing exactly what the climate models in the 1990s said we should experience now. That is, more frequent, more severe heat waves, bigger temperature anomalies, more humidity, higher overnight temperatures. These are all part and parcel of the climate story.