A heat dome that hit the central United States this past week is going to shift west by later this week.
Temperatures could go well above the historical average, with some places expected to experience their highest temperatures of the year so far, AccuWeather predicts.
This heat dome is forecast to be over Utah by Friday, with the excessive heat expanding across the southwest and California, according to AccuWeather.
“Given the forecast position of the high pressure area associated with the expansive heat dome in the West, there could be enough easterly breezes to bring intense heat to the Los Angeles Basin next weekend with highs well into the 90s F possible,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
Temperatures could even be hotter than the March 2026 heat wave Los Angeles experienced, Sosnowski predicted.
Going east to the desert Southwest, highs could be between 110 to 120 degrees by next week. This, the National Weather Service said, will lead to HeatRisk levels in the major to extreme range: 3 and 4, the latter being the highest level. At level 4, there’s “rare and/or long-duration extreme heat with no overnight relief affecting anyone without cooling/hydration as well as health systems, industries, and infrastructure,” per the HeatRisk scale.
As the heat dome gains strength, the North American Monsoon is expected to produce less thunderstorms, according to AccuWeather. This means any dry lightning strikes, working in tandem with hot temperatures and dry vegetation, could lead to a heightened wildfire risk going into the weekend.
“During periods of extreme heat and less-dense air, the airline industry may closely scrutinize baggage weight as a longer takeoff distance is needed,” Sosnowski said.
Even as the dome moves west, people living in the central and southern U.S. will still be sweating, with The National Weather Service predicting the “dangerous heat wave” will continue into the next week.
There’s also a risk for severe thunderstorms and flash flooding which will go from the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes and Northeast in the next few days, NWS said.
What is a heat dome?
A heat dome happens when hot ocean air is trapped over a large area, causing dangerously high temperatures. As high atmospheric pressure forms over a region, it pushes air down that heats when the air compresses, creating a “lid” that traps the heat, according to the University of California Davis.
When such a heat dome happens, temperatures can go above 100 in the eastern two-thirds of the U.S., The Weather Channel said, while in the West, they can temperatures in the desert can go up to 110 or 120 degress.
Thunderstorms have a harder time forming as the warm air from the heat dome dries out the ground and the air. If these high pressure conditions last longer than a week, a drought can start.
“During the middle of the summer, this can become a vicious cycle of warming and drying,” The Weather Channel said.
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