What is a heat dome? How the atmospheric phenomenon has Europe trapped in a heat wave

The Old Continent is cooked.Europe is sweltering amid an unprecedented heat wave that has sent temperatures soaring to record-breaking heights across the continent.On Tuesday, France hit its hottest day ever after the country’s national thermal indicator — an average of temperatures measured at 30 weather stations — reached a blistering 85.6 Fahrenheit.This eclipsed the previous high water mark of 84.9°F, which dated back to the scorching heat waves in August 2003 and July 2019, the AP reported.Some of the weather stations logged daytime highs of 104 degrees and there are no signs of the conditions easing until Friday.

The weather was so oppressive that over 40 people reportedly drowned to death while attempting to beat the heat, amid the country’s limited access to air conditioning.Meanwhile, across the English Channel, officials issued a rare red alert for certain parts of the UK for Wednesday morning through Thursday night.Met Office meteorologists forecast that temps would reach 104 degrees Celsius in Wales and Central and southern England during that time, which would mark the hottest day ever for this early in the year.Similar high heat warnings were issued for Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Germany, where temps were expected to hit or exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the New York Times reported.What’s to blame for this continental pressure cooker? Meteorologists point to phenomena called heat domes, high-pressure systems high in the atmosphere that remain in place for several days, hot-boxing the region below with heat and humidity like a dumpling steamer, the AP reported.Met Office experts have analogized the event to a pot lid that prevents warm air from the Earth’s surface from rising and forming clouds.

Fewer clouds mean more direct sunshine and therefore hotter ground temperatures.This lid also traps and recycles heat, further bringing the regional temps to a proverbial boil.Heat domes are created by a bulge in the jet stream, ...