Rajasthan in the US? Heat dome will test America's cool quotient
Last year in July, the official temperature sensor at
Harry Reid International Airport
in Las Vegas climbed to 49 degree celsius. That crushed the city's all-time record of 47.2 degree celsius, set in 1942 and tied in 2005, 2013, 2017 and 2021. The US is again bracing for sweltering summer under a looming
heat dome
that is set to bring sweltering temperatures and oppressive humidity to millions. Previously, while the US suffered through heat domes, the temperature was similar to that of India's Thar desert.
In the past, all significant and historical record-breaking heat waves occurred in Europe, the US, and Canada have been due to heat dome. The heat dome works like a lid on a pot. The extensive dome traps warm air at all levels underneath, with layers sinking toward the ground. Therefore, the air mass becomes anomalously warm at the lowest elevations and extremely hot near the surface.
As per the predictions of the weather agencies of the US, the heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts. This will be the first stretch of true summertime weather for many from the Midwest to the East Coast, Tom Kines, a meteorologist at the private weather company AccuWeather, told AP.
What is a heat dome?
A heat dome occurs when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a reservoir that traps heat and humidity, Ricky Castro, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Illinois, told AP. The heat dome can stretch over several states and linger for days to weeks, leaving the people, crops and animals below to suffer through stagnant hot air that can feel like a furnace.
Live Events
Normally, the jet stream, a narrow band of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere, has a wavelike pattern, meandering north and then south and then north again. When these meanders in the jet stream become bigger, they move slower and can become stationary. That's when heat domes can occur.
How do Americans survive the heat domes?
The risks of soaring temperatures are not just in naturally hotter areas in the US. Risks from
extreme heat
are also increasing in typically cooler regions like the Pacific Northwest. In previous years, nearly 300 people died in Oregon and Washington after the area was trapped under a relentless heat dome for over a week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US saw more than 700 heat-related deaths and over 9,200 hospitalizations annually, making extreme heat deadlier on average than hurricanes, floods or wildfires.
As heat domes become a recurring threat across much of the US in recent years, Americans are forced to get more creative in the ways they deal with extreme heat. When formal emergency
cooling centers
fill up, locals have turned to ad hoc solutions. In Portland, during the historic 2021
heatwave
, community members opened "mutual aid cooling centers" in churches and community centers, often with volunteers providing food, water and even basic medical care. Mobile cooling stations have also emerged. In Las Vegas, nonprofits used converted RVs equipped with AC to provide heat relief to the unhoused population.
Desperate times have transformed unexpected spaces into refuge zones: Malls and casinos saw an influx of families seeking relief. In Reno, Nevada, casinos welcomed locals with no AC, offering cold drinks, shelter and free wi-fi. Movie theaters have become day-long getaways. With tickets cheaper than running an AC all day, many families in Texas and Arizona spent entire afternoons watching back-to-back films. In Tucson, a city in US' Arizona, some people sought refuge at a place unlike many others: a cooling center made of old shipping containers. The containers were once part of a short-lived Arizona-Mexico border wall ordered by former Gov. Doug Ducey that his successor, Gov. Katie Hobbs, transformed into solar-powered spaces where people can escape the grueling heat, reported The New York Times. The report suggested that the containers, two long, narrow pods, offer places where residents can nap, watch TV and relax with sack lunches from a community kitchen.
Extreme heat forced a rethinking of daily routines. In Phoenix, many landscaping companies and construction crews operated from 4 AM to noon, avoiding the dangerous afternoon heat. Some cities refer to this as adopting a "heat time zone".
High heat has triggered innovations in personal wear too. Cooling vests, initially designed for athletes, were worn by mail carriers, construction workers and even school staff in places like Florida and Nevada. DIY cooling scarves soaked in ice water or filled with refrigerant beads became popular.
Los Angeles and New York City expanded "cool pavement" programs, applying reflective paint to roads and rooftops to reduce surface temperatures by up to 20°F. In Sacramento, residents used DIY tarp-and-mist setups in backyards to create low-cost shaded zones with garden hose misters attached to poles.
Heat domes have accelerated urban forestry and cooling green initiatives. Phoenix and Houston launched heat-mapping initiatives using drones to pinpoint the hottest neighborhoods and focus tree-planting efforts accordingly. Digital tools have become frontline defence. Apps like Heat Ready CA and Extrema Global provide real-time heat alerts and guide users to the nearest cooling center. Many cities text 'heat alerts' with practical steps (hydrate, avoid asphalt, check on neighbors) and links to resources.
America's response to the growing threat of heat domes reflects not just ingenuity, but also a spirit of adaptation. But as
climate change
makes heat domes more intense and more common, the patchwork of grassroots solutions will need to be supported by broader, systemic changes.
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Last year in July, the official temperature sensor at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas climbed to 49 degree celsius. That crushed the city's all-time record of 47.2 degree celsius, set in 1942 and tied in 2005, 2013, 2017 and 2021. The US is again bracing for sweltering summer under a looming heat dome that is set to bring sweltering temperatures and oppressive humidity to millions. Previously, while the US suffered through heat domes, the temperature was similar to that of India's Thar desert. In the past, all significant and historical record-breaking heat waves occurred in Europe, the US, and Canada have been due to heat dome. The heat dome works like a lid on a pot. The extensive dome traps warm air at all levels underneath, with layers sinking toward the ground. Therefore, the air mass becomes anomalously warm at the lowest elevations and extremely hot near the surface. As per the predictions of the weather agencies of the US, the heat will be particularly worrisome this weekend across wide stretches of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, where forecasters are warning of extreme temperature impacts. This will be the first stretch of true summertime weather for many from the Midwest to the East Coast, Tom Kines, a meteorologist at the private weather company AccuWeather, told AP. What is a heat dome? A heat dome occurs when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a reservoir that traps heat and humidity, Ricky Castro, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Illinois, told AP. The heat dome can stretch over several states and linger for days to weeks, leaving the people, crops and animals below to suffer through stagnant hot air that can feel like a furnace. 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With tickets cheaper than running an AC all day, many families in Texas and Arizona spent entire afternoons watching back-to-back films. In Tucson, a city in US' Arizona, some people sought refuge at a place unlike many others: a cooling center made of old shipping containers. The containers were once part of a short-lived Arizona-Mexico border wall ordered by former Gov. Doug Ducey that his successor, Gov. Katie Hobbs, transformed into solar-powered spaces where people can escape the grueling heat, reported The New York Times. The report suggested that the containers, two long, narrow pods, offer places where residents can nap, watch TV and relax with sack lunches from a community kitchen. Extreme heat forced a rethinking of daily routines. In Phoenix, many landscaping companies and construction crews operated from 4 AM to noon, avoiding the dangerous afternoon heat. Some cities refer to this as adopting a "heat time zone". High heat has triggered innovations in personal wear too. Cooling vests, initially designed for athletes, were worn by mail carriers, construction workers and even school staff in places like Florida and Nevada. DIY cooling scarves soaked in ice water or filled with refrigerant beads became popular. Los Angeles and New York City expanded "cool pavement" programs, applying reflective paint to roads and rooftops to reduce surface temperatures by up to 20°F. In Sacramento, residents used DIY tarp-and-mist setups in backyards to create low-cost shaded zones with garden hose misters attached to poles. Heat domes have accelerated urban forestry and cooling green initiatives. Phoenix and Houston launched heat-mapping initiatives using drones to pinpoint the hottest neighborhoods and focus tree-planting efforts accordingly. Digital tools have become frontline defence. Apps like Heat Ready CA and Extrema Global provide real-time heat alerts and guide users to the nearest cooling center. 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