Double heat dome coming to US: Here’s when it’ll start, where it’ll be worst

(NEXSTAR) – Two heat domes are preparing to join forces, sending temperatures soaring around the U.S. next week.

The first heat dome is developing in the southwest while the second is forming over the subtropical Atlantic, said Jeff Berardelli, chief meteorologist at Nexstar’s WFLA.

They’ll be replaced by one larger heat dome set to park itself over the center of the U.S. by the Fourth of July holiday.

“This could be the first widespread, significant heat wave of 2026 for much of the South and Midwest,” said Nexstar meteorologist Blake Matthews. “Unlike the record-breaking heat that scorched the desert southwest earlier this year, this event is targeting areas that haven’t experienced prolonged extreme temperatures yet this season.”

Heat domes are basically high-pressure weather systems that trap heat and humidity in one area for a few days.

“A strong, upper-level high-pressure cell acts like a lid on the atmosphere, compressing and heating the air while also suppressing cloud development and rainfall. That........

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