Heat Dome To Affect States Awaiting "Delayed" Summer: NWS

Several states in the Midwest could see dangerous temperatures over the weekend, with forecasters warning of extreme heat across wide swaths of Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

A heat dome forms when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere traps heat and humidity.

Moisture blown northward from the Gulf Coast is fueling muggy conditions, said Jacob Asherman, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. This influx of Gulf moisture is typical during late spring and summer, he added.

A heat dome forms when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere traps heat and humidity, said Ricky Castro, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Illinois.

This stretch is expected to bring stifling temperatures and uncomfortable humidity to millions. For many from the Midwest to the East Coast, it will mark the first true spell of summertime weather, said Tom Kines, a meteorologist at AccuWeather.

“A lot of those folks have been saying, ‘Where’s summer?’ Well, buckle up, because it’s coming,” Kines said.