How Hot You Can Expect it to Get Across the U.S.

A developing heat dome is going to send the mercury soaring across the South and the Midwest before creeping into the Northeast. While the heat will feel downright oppressive at times, it is important to remember that this is a typical pattern for the dog days of summer. Here is a closer look at how hot it will get in the days ahead and when you can expect some relief.

Budding Heat Dome Will Spell Miserable Conditions for Millions of Americans

The weather will not be conducive to outdoor activities this week throughout the southern and central U.S. Rising temperatures will pair with high humidity levels to create dangerous conditions. Although the northeastern corner of the country will enjoy pleasant conditions to start the week, the heat will also seep into this region by Thursday and Friday.

Intense sunshine will amplify the heat as the sinking air located near the middle of the heat dome will work to suppress cloud cover. The powerful sun will then work to heat the ground and surrounding air more efficiently.

The southerly winds circulating on the western edge of the heat dome will bring the hot and humid air farther to the north. This will push the miserable conditions to the east along the northern periphery. The northern edge of the heat dome is also where the flooding rainfall and thunderstorms will be more prevalent, thanks to the clash of the cooler and warmer air.

The forecast has prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue several extreme heat warnings, watches, and advisories for millions of Americans living in the South, the Plains, and the Midwest. The core of the heat will shift slightly throughout the week, meaning that the alerts will also move around in the coming days.

You can expect the temperatures to take off on Tuesday as increasing humidity moves through the Midwest, the Ohio Valley, and portions of the Great Lakes. While a cold front will bring down the mercury later in the week for the Upper Midwest, the heat dome will build to the north in the meantime.

The Northeast will see unseasonably cool temperatures to start the week with the heat expected to make a return by Thursday and Friday. The end of the work week will feature the hottest weather of the last several days for the populated Interstate 95 corridor. Widespread highs in the mid 90s are expected for major cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Diving Into the Temperatures

How hot will it get? While the building heat wave will usher in some of the hottest temperatures of the year, forecasters do not believe that records will fall on a widespread basis. This is because this is naturally the hottest time of the year for most of the U.S., meaning that it will take extreme readings to bring down records.

You can expect temperatures to hover in the 90s for much of the South, the Midwest, and the Great Lakes. Parts of northern Texas, Arkansas, and northern Louisiana will see highs approach the century mark or higher.

Highs in the 90s will expand to the Northeast by the end of the week. Like the rest of the impacted region, the increasing humidity levels will push the real feel readings to even higher levels with the heat index expected to register in the triple digits.

Overnight lows will bottom out in the mid to upper 70s during this time. The inability of the mercury to drop to cooler levels will put a strain on cooling systems. Low temperatures could notch record warm levels in areas of the South, the Midwest, and the East Coast through the weekend.

Dew points will inch up into the upper 70s and the low 80s for much of the Mississippi and Ohio valleys in the days ahead. This will translate to uncomfortably muggy conditions. The Upper Midwest and the Northeast may also see dew points of this magnitude.

When to Expect Relief from the Heat

The big question on everyone's minds is how long the heat will last. Those seeking relief from the oppressive weather will have to wait it out. The current heat wave is expected to linger through the weekend, eventually pushing farther to the west and into the Rockies.

The long-range forecast is calling for a bit of relief from the heat by the weekend for the Northeast. A backdoor cool front coming from the north will work to erase some of the hottest temperatures in this corner of the country.

The same cannot be said for the nation's mid-section. Meteorologists are warning that the heat will have more staying power in this region.

This is a good time to note that heat is the number one weather-related killer in the U.S. While it may not generate the same headlines of tornadoes and hurricanes, extreme heat is responsible for hundreds of fatalities every year.

The pairing of the heat and the humidity is particularly dangerous to those without access to air conditioning. The vast concrete surfaces in urban areas tend to retain heat the most, making it difficult to find relief even after the sun goes down.

You can protect yourself by avoiding being outdoors during the peak afternoon heating hours, taking care to stay hydrated, and wearing loose and lightweight clothing. It is also important to check on vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

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