heat dome

American  

[heet dohm] / ˈhit ˌdoʊm /

noun

Meteorology.

1. a weather phenomenon in which an area experiences stifling heat when a system of high pressure pushes very warm air downward and keeps it trapped as if in a bubble.

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Etymology

Origin of heat dome

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Under a heat dome, those pollutants can linger longer, leading to elevated Air Quality Index, or AQI, readings that may pose additional risks for people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026

Forecasts, though, call for a hotter-than-usual season, and a heat dome has much of the country in its grip.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

This week's "heat dome" conditions in the US occur when high-pressure systems trap warm air like the lid on a pot.

From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026

The extreme temperatures caused by a heat dome, will peak in the Midwest and Mississippi Valley through Thursday, the NWS predicted.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

These changes can create conditions for high-pressure systems that park over Europe, such as the "heat dome" searing the continent this week.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026