A “Heat Dome” Will Envelop Us This Weekend
Aw, weather. What personality it has. Winter gives us Polar Vortexes. Fall gives us Superstorms. Spring, gross amounts of wind. So meet our hyperbolic weather condition of the summer, Heat Dome, because it is coming to New York City this weekend.
As I type these words, one such dome has formed over a gigantic portion of the country, and it’s spreading East, according to New York Metro Weather and Daily Intelligencer. Underneath that dome, the heat index will approach 100 degrees starting tomorrow (temperature and humidity combined), and the scourge will stretch into next week. See? Weather, what a character.
But you might be wondering what, exactly, a Heat Dome is. Excellent question. The answer is: pretty much what it sounds like.
Meteorologist John Homenuk says a dome is defined by “a ridge,” i.e. a high-pressure system, that encloses and condenses a lot of hot air. And, apparently, these high pressure domes are not uncommon in the summer when it is, yes, hot. But what is rather uncommon about this Heat Dome—that which will out-dome all previous domes—is that it is gigantic.
To give you an idea of how big this weekend’s Heat Dome is, consider this fact, according to Mr. Homenuk: its epicenter is the Texas Panhandle, and its circumference will reach, well, us. New York City. Normally, domes just kind of hover above more confined regions, like the Midwest or the South. But this one is almost the entire damn country.
So, in light of our plight, start considering how to keep cool. Maybe consider not putting a recliner in front of your AC and staying still for four straight days. Maybe go swimming instead. Here are eight of the best places to do that. And, drink something slushy while you’re at it. This is Brooklyn, so, together, with treats and amenities, we can beat the biggest Heat Dome we’ve ever seen.