A dangerous stretch of extreme heat is on the way for a large portion of the central United States, with temperatures forecast to climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) from Dallas all the way up to North Dakota. Approximately 70 million people are currently under heat advisories as the dangerous weather system takes shape.
The culprit is a heat dome — a weather pattern in which atmospheric conditions trap hot air near the surface — that will keep temperatures dangerously elevated for days. Overnight lows are not expected to drop enough to give people meaningful relief, allowing heat stress to build up over time. High humidity will make conditions feel even more brutal than the thermometer suggests, forecasters warn.
The oppressive heat will cover an enormous swath of the country, stretching from the desert Southwest through the Gulf Coast and up into the Midwest and Great Plains. Some temperature records in the Denver area could fall, according to forecasters. Readings are expected to run 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (5.6 to 8.3 degrees Celsius) above seasonal norms.
Bob Oravec, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, described the system as unusually stubborn. “It looks like it is going to be pretty much stationary in that position as we go through the week,” he said. He noted there could be some easing toward the end of next week, though even that improvement may not last.
Not every part of the country will suffer equally. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions — including the Delmarva area — are expected to avoid the most extreme conditions, as is much of the Pacific Northwest.
This latest heat event comes after an already brutal summer across the United States. The eastern part of the country endured a punishing heat wave in early July that forced communities to cancel Independence Day celebrations and disrupted events tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. A second heat wave struck the Southwest and Great Plains in mid-July. The problem extends beyond U.S. borders as well — a heat wave in June devastated parts of Europe, with France recording at least 5,700 more deaths than usual during that period.
Health officials stress that this heat dome poses real dangers. Children, elderly individuals, and people with underlying medical conditions face the greatest risk of serious heat-related illness, including heat stroke. Experts urge everyone to seek out air conditioning or a cooling center, stay well-hydrated, and limit time spent in direct sunlight.
As the week progresses, the most intense heat is expected to concentrate over Texas and portions of the Gulf Coast by Wednesday.
