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

See Examples For:

heat dome

And under a climate change–driven heat dome that fuels more storms, the forests are all the more susceptible to inopportune lightning strikes.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026

June was particularly brutal for Europe as a "heat dome" -- a high-pressure system acting like a lid on a boiling pot -- led to all-time and monthly temperature records in several countries.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

A heat dome brought sweltering temperatures to much of the country, leading to warnings and some canceled festivities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

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

The heat is building under a persistent area of high pressure in the central and eastern parts of the US – also known as a "heat dome".

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026