heat dome

plural heat domes

1. climatologyA condition of extreme heat caused when the atmosphere traps hot air as if bounded by a lid or cap.

   Heat domes happen all over the world, and the one over Europe this week is locking in days of near-record highs across Britain, Spain and France.

   2026 June 22, Nazaneen Ghaffar, “How a ‘Heat Dome’ Over Europe Keeps Temperatures Hot”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   2 more examples

   The heatwave is being described as a “heat dome”. The term refers to the idea that this type of warmth extends high into the atmosphere and isn’t just a thin layer, and that it can have an impact on pressure and wind patterns.

   [2021 June 29, Hallie Golden, “The ‘heat dome’ explained: why the Pacific north-west is facing record temperatures”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2021

   Parts of the United States, including the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, are expected to reach record-breaking temperatures as a dangerous “heat dome” settles in for the holiday weekend.

   2026 July 2, Dani Blum, “How to Stay Safe in a ‘Heat Dome’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN