Oklahoma City weatherman Gary England has previously protested the term heat dome, saying: “I think it’s a little bit misleading. Just a few weeks ago, the term “heat dome” may have evoked, if anything at all, thoughts of a rather bland Mad Max sequel. “Heat dome isn’t an official term but it does evoke an image,” Keith Seitter, executive director of the American Meteorological Society, said. Although not an official term, a “heat dome” is created when high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a sort of lid, preventing hot air from escaping. “People tend to underplay the danger of extreme heat, it extremely dangerous for people’s health.

Source: The Guardian July 23, 2016 12:00 UTC