Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 15
US Heat Dome Sets 111F Billings Record, Lifts Warnings as 46 Fires Burn Uncontained
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 15

US Heat Dome Sets 111F Billings Record, Lifts Warnings as 46 Fires Burn Uncontained

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 15

Summary

  • Billings hit 111F and Salt Lake City 109F on Sunday, both all-time highs, as extreme heat warnings spread across large swaths of the United States.
  • A heat dome is trapping hot, dry air over the region, suppressing clouds and storms; NOAA says dangerous heat hazards will persist through next Monday and shift south later this week.
  • Nighttime temperatures have stayed elevated in parts of the Midwest and Northeast, increasing risks of heat exhaustion, heatstroke and cardiovascular strain, especially for older people.
  • The heat is also worsening wildfire conditions: 46 fires were still uncontained as of Tuesday after 3.6 million acres burned this year, with recent deaths including three firefighters in late June and a Colorado helicopter pilot this week.

Insights

Will the predicted wet monsoon bring relief, or will it unleash more dangerous dust storms and Valley Fever?
With urban trees only offsetting 20% of warming, what is Phoenix's next life-saving move against extreme heat?
As heat deaths surpass falls in the Grand Canyon, why do safety warnings fail to prevent hiker tragedies?