- A dangerous heat dome is forecast to affect approximately 250 million people across the central and eastern United States during the Fourth of July weekend, bringing temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and punishing humidity.
- Unlike typical heat waves, heat domes are prolonged high-pressure systems that trap heat for a week or longer, preventing cloud formation and leading to potentially record-breaking temperatures.
- Human-caused climate change has made the conditions for heat domes 150 times more likely, with a developing "godzilla" El Niño pattern further intensifying hazardous heat globally.
- Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S., causing about 2,000 deaths annually, and recent heat domes have led to significant fatalities in Europe and mass marine life deaths in Canada.
- The long-lasting nature of these events poses severe risks, including increased deaths, strain on aging infrastructure, severe drought conditions fueling wildfires and potential power outages.
IN FULL
