Enormous ‘heat dome’ has caused 22 deaths

Yahoo! News ^ | July 21, 2011 | Liz Goodwin

[Free ThinkerNY]

Unless you live in the lucky part of the continental United States that will not be slammed by a heat wave this week, you've probably encountered what meteorologists are calling the "heat dome."

A claustrophobia-inducing greenhouse of heat and sadness, the "heat dome" is actually a 1 million square-mile high-pressure system hovering over most of the country and pushing temperatures sky-high. Nearly 150 million Americans in 32 states are in the dome, leading to at least 22 deaths around the country as of yesterday, according to CNN. In Oklahoma alone, state medical officials believe 12 people have died from the heat.

Christopher Vaccaro at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tells The Lookout that the United States is facing a unique convergence of heat-stoking forces. The high-pressure system compresses the air--meaning it drives the warm air closer to the ground while heating it up to uncomfortably high temperatures. That compressed, sinking air keeps clouds from forming, giving the sun--which is at its highest angle this time of the year--free rein to do its worst. "Warmer air is thicker than colder air so it's actually a literal dome," Vaccaro explains. The final sweaty blow is that ground winds have consistently been coming from the south, pushing humid tropical air all the way to Northern Midwest states such as Minnesota. The humidity makes the heat even more dangerous, Vaccaro says.

[absolootezer0]

hard science. yeah. the earth is getting hotter, but our record temps this week were set back in the 30s. the so called heat index hasn’t even been above some of those temps.

[cripplecreek]

I haven’t mowed grass once this month. That’s kinda rare for a Michigan July.

[Sacajaweau]

Summer....It was a great time....sprinklers served us well.

WE DIDN'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING....just huge wonderful dutch elms which shaded the houses and windows with cross breezes.

[EyeGuy]

Bottom Line:

God says let there be heat and humidity, and there is not a damn thing we can do about it.

Even Al Gore.

[bgill]

It rained for a few minutes, a few days ago. The dogs were confused and wondering if I had turned on the sprinkler.

Same here. It rained about 15 minutes. Hubby woke up mad thinking I'd turned on the sprinklers.

[andy58-in-nh]

The heat is just reaching the east coast. Prepare for whining and the lamentations of their women.

How will we tell the difference..? .Seriously: I'm in Western Maine, up in the mountains today and it's 92°. Uggh.

[cripplecreek]

Michigan 112 degrees July 13, 1936 Mio

Michigan –51 degrees Feb. 9, 1934 Vanderbilt

[cripplecreek]

Well we don’t consider Maine to be the east coast. At least not most of it.

[Average Al]

Perhaps it is time for Crocodile Dundee to show Great Lakes fisherman to use explosives to fish and get more moisture in to the air to form rain clouds. ;-)

[Average Al]

"WE DIDN'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING....just huge wonderful dutch elms which shaded the houses and windows with cross breezes."

Until they fell on the house in a storm.....

[treetopsandroofs]

Like when the “heat” in Chicago caused all that violence at the beaches a couple of months ago?

[martin_fierro]

A claustrophobia-inducing greenhouse of heat and sadness,

I hereby declare this article a nausea-inducing jumble of pseudo-science and drama.

r m f e

[andy58-in-nh]

Aside from Portland, Maine is pretty conservative, at least by regional standards. The moonbats have indeed made a mess of things here as elsewhere. I’m stunned how bad the economy is here, even compared to last year...

[martin_fierro]

That compressed, sinking air keeps clouds from forming, giving the sun--which is at its highest angle this time of the year--free rein to do its worst.

The sun in Liz Goodwin's world.

Bad, Sun! BAD!

[Smokin' Joe]

"Warmer air is thicker than colder air so it's actually a literal dome,"

Bull.

Air density, from highest to lowest:

Cold, dry air

Cold, moist air

Warm, dry air

Warm moist air

More dense=thicker, and thicker (more dense air) seems easier to breathe because there is more oxygen per unit volume.

Must be their science writer at it again.

[Ditter]

Welcome to Texas, ya’ll! :D

[Constitution Day]

It's not just hot! You forgot the sadness.

[cripplecreek]

I was watching show about Maine “How the states got their shapes” on the history channel. I love Michigan but I’d definitely like to visit rural Maine.

Michigan and Maine are similar in a lot of ways. Liberal cities with conservative rural areas. I believe the largest congressional district east of the Mississippi is in Maine, the second Largest is Michigan’s 1st district.

[Godzilla]

Now imagine what it will be like if the EPA has its way and dozens of coal plants are shut down. No power - no AC whatsoever.

[agere_contra]

This phenomenum is not man-made. Things were just as bad during the Medieval Sad Period.