How Heat Domes Form — Passage and Quiz

A heat dome is a weather event where a big area gets really hot. Imagine putting a lid over a pot. The lid traps the heat inside. A heat dome is like a lid, trapping hot air in one place. It forms when high pressure in the atmosphere stays over the same area for days or weeks. 

Heat domes form when the air high up in the sky moves in a special way. This movement creates an area of high pressure that acts like a lid. This high pressure pushes warm air down, making it even hotter. The heat can’t escape, so it gets hotter and hotter, just like in the pot.

As the sun keeps shining, the air under this "lid" gets hotter and hotter. It's like being in a car with the windows closed on a sunny day - the heat just keeps building up!

The hot air can't escape or mix with cooler air, so the temperature keeps rising day after day. This can make the weather much hotter than usual for a long time.

Heat domes often happen in summer when the weather patterns don't change much. They can cover a small area or spread over whole countries, making lots of people feel very hot!