It’s spring, but this week in Houston, it feels like summer! With temperatures climbing into the 90s and “feels-like” temps hitting triple digits, everyone’s wondering why it’s so hot.
The answer? A heat dome. But what’s a heat dome, and how can we understand it?
Let’s use a pot and the stove to explain:
The pot is like the Earth’s surface: A heat dome acts like a lid, trapping the hot air beneath it.
Trapped heat can’t escape: Just as a lid prevents steam from rising out of the pot, the heat dome blocks the hot air from rising or cooling off.
No cooling down: Normally, hot air rises, or winds bring cooler air to regulate temperatures. But the heat dome stops the process, like a pot left on the stove with no way to cool down.
Under this “pot,” it gets really hot and stays hot, causing a heatwave. That’s why Houston feels like an oven this week! And you can see by looking at our 10-day forecast -we’re in for a very HOT end of May.