Life-threatening heat dome intensifies as ring of fire storms rumble across central US
These systems trap heat beneath them and lead to stretches of very hot, dry weather. While this particular heat dome won’t likely break any records, it will push temperatures into the upper 90s for a huge portion of the country.
Dangerous heat dome brings life-threatening temperatures to parts of the U.S.
Areas such as St. Louis, Kansas City, and Memphis are all under extreme heat warnings as the summer pattern shows no signs of cooling down.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The big weather story this week is a large area of high pressure building over the central U.S., often called a "heat dome," the FOX Forecast Center warns.
FILE – People try to stay cool on what is expected to be one of the hottest days of the year on June 25, 2025 in New York City.
(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
These systems trap heat beneath them and lead to stretches of very hot, dry weather. While this particular heat dome won’t likely break any records, it will push temperatures into the upper 90s for a huge portion of the country.
(FOX Weather)
What will make it feel even worse is the humidity. With dew points running high, the heat index, or "feels-like" temperature, will soar above 100 degrees in many major cities, like St. Louis, Kansas City and Oklahoma City. Some areas could even feel closer to 110-115 degrees.
The high humidity makes it harder for your body to cool off through sweating, which is why it feels so much hotter than the thermometer shows, the FOX Forecast Center added.
(FOX Weather)
Underneath the heat dome, the weather will stay mostly dry. Texas, for example, will continue drying out this week, which is a welcome break after recent flooding in places like Kerrville.
However, not every part of the country will be dry. The moisture being blocked from rising straight up into the heat dome is instead getting pushed around it.
This creates a setup where storms fire up along the northern and eastern edges of the dome. These "ring of fire" storms are powered by daytime heat and plenty of unstable air. They can bring damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain. If storms stall over the same area, flash flooding can happen, especially in places that have recently flooded.
(FOX Weather)
To start the week, the areas most at risk for storms and flash flooding include the Midwest, the Tennessee River Valley and parts of the Southeast.
(FOX Weather)
The heat dome will slowly shift eastward during the week, which may briefly reduce the storm chances in some places, but the heat isn’t going anywhere.
By Thursday, portions of the Great Lakes will see feels-like temperatures climb into the mid- to upper 90s, as dew points rise into the 70s. Come Friday, the worst of the heat will target the Interstate 95 corridor. From Washington to New York City and Boston, high temperatures will reach into the 90s.
(FOX Weather)
With the tropical air mass factored in, it will feel more like 100-plus degrees during the afternoon. A few record highs will be possible Friday, with areas like Newark, New Jersey, potentially reaching into the upper 90s.
Into the weekend, the heat will wane slightly for areas such as New York City and Boston (with highs returning to the 80s), but it will remain brutally warm across the mid-Atlantic.
Long-range forecasts keep the East and Northeast above average through the rest of the summer.