Heat dome explained

A heat dome is a weather phenomenon consisting of extreme heat that is caused when the atmosphere traps hot air as if bounded by a lid or cap. Heat domes happen when strong high pressure atmospheric conditions remain stationary for an unusual amount of time, preventing convection and precipitation and keeping hot air "trapped" within a region. This can be caused by multiple factors, including sea surface temperature anomalies and the influence of a La Niña.[1] [2] The upper air weather patterns are slow to move, referred to by meteorologists as an Omega block.[3]

The term is often extrapolated in media terminology for any heat wave situation, though heat waves differ as they are periods of excessively hot weather not necessarily caused by such stationary high-pressure systems.[4] The term heat dome is also used in the context of urban heat islands.[5]

Characteristics

Heat domes are typically associated with minimal cloud cover and clear skies, which allow the unhindered penetration of solar radiation to the Earth's surface, intensifying the overall temperature.[6]

They also cover a large geographical area that has a greater atmospheric pressure than the surrounding regions. The high-atmospheric pressure area acts like a lid on the atmosphere and causes warm air to be pushed to the surface and holding it there over extended durations.

Heat domes allow maximum heating of the Earth as they allow penetration of sunshine to the surface of the Earth.[7]

Creation

Heat domes can arise in still and dry summer conditions, when a mass of warm air builds up, and the high pressure from the Earth's atmosphere pushes the warm air down. The air is then compressed, and as its net heat is now in a smaller volume, it increases in temperature. As the warm air attempts to rise, the high pressure above it acts as a dome, forcing the air down and causing it to get hotter and hotter, resulting in increased pressure below the dome.[8] [9]

The 2021 Northwest heat dome was formed in this way, as a stagnant high-pressure system intensified local temperatures, blocked cooling maritime breezes, and hindered cloud formation. This allowed uninterrupted solar radiation to further warm the air and the rising warm air was pushed back down by the high-pressure system, creating a self-sustaining cycle of heating.[10]

Increases in sea surface temperatures across the Northern Pacific, particularly off the coast of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, create favorable conditions for the formation of high atmospheric pressure domes, which can lead to the development of heat domes.[11]

Relationship to climate change

Studies indicate that human-induced climate change[12] plays a significant role in the formation of heat domes, as heat domes are more likely to occur in higher atmospheric temperatures. The occurrence of heat domes contributes to the positive feedback loop of increased climate change by resulting in overall higher atmospheric temperatures.[13]

Effects

Other weather events

Heat domes coincide with stagnant atmospheric conditions, exacerbating air quality issues.[14] Common byproducts include increased smog and pollution levels.[15] Heat domes can intensify heat waves by interacting with other weather systems, such as frontal boundaries.[16] They can also contribute to drought by increasing the rate of evaporation and reducing soil moisture.[17] In areas such as California's Central Valley, heat domes exacerbate drought conditions by increasing the rate of evaporation amongst crops and native vegetation.[18]

Ecosystem

Previous heat domes have been linked to the widespread damage of trees, primarily through high solar irradiation.[19] Alongside foliar scorching as a result of heat stress, the evolutionary creation and success of heat-resilient foliar species were byproducts of heat domes.

Heat domes increase the thermal stress[20] of organisms living in intertidal ecosystems, a factor that has previously led to the deaths of marine species during the 2021 North American Heat Dome.

Community

The occurrence of heat domes has contributed to increasing climate change concerns. This was particularly demonstrated among British Columbians, who in previous studies displayed higher levels of climate change anxiety[21] following the 2021 North American Heat Dome.

Heat domes put communities at risk of increased mortality rates. Deaths resulting from heat domes are more likely to impact susceptible and marginalized populations, who are less likely to have access to air-conditioned living spaces.[22]

Notable events

The 2021 Western North America heat dome garnered its attention for its unprecedented intensity and duration in recent years which led to significant societal influences such as widespread power outages and increased wildfire activities. This further emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change in order to reduce the occurrence and severity of such events.[23] [24] Addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adopting strategies are significant steps in lessening the frequency of extreme heat events in 2021.

In 2021, a record-breaking heat dome based in British Columbia caused countless community deaths, resulting in a record of being a catastrophic time of the year. Most households in the broader Vancouver lack air conditioning, resulting in individuals being highly susceptible to deaths caused by heat such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The study on this event emphasizes the importance of public health and providing more air conditioning and urban green spaces.

Persistent heat dome led to extensive wildfires, crop failures, and a surge in mortality rates during the Russian heatwave in 2010. The far-reaching consequences affected by economic and social factors of this event reverberated globally, impacting the interconnectedness of regional weather phenomena and agricultural markets.[25]

Examples

Future

Research points to a projected increase in stationary waves circulating around North America following the occurrence of heat domes.[26] These are the same waves that lead to extreme heat events, indicating a higher likelihood of similar events taking place in the future. Research studies have shown that the development of heat domes is generally improbable,[27] however the increasing level of concern surrounding the impact of climate change highlights that heat domes may no longer become a rare occurrence.

Mitigation

Techniques to mitigate the effects of heat domes often involve urban planning,[28] public health initiatives, and community interaction. Strategies include increasing green areas,[29] using cool roofs[30] and improving ventilation[31] in urban areas. Public agencies provide support to vulnerable populations, reducing adverse heat-related impacts through the following methods: heat health warning systems,[32] data monitoring, cooling centers,[33] water management,[34] and climate change suppression,[35] among other efforts. Educational campaigns increase awareness of heat safety, increasing the effectiveness of other mitigation methods.[36]

See also

References

  1. Web site: June 30, 2021 . What is a heat dome? . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
  2. Burga . Sulcyre . 27 July 2023 . What to Know About Heat Domes—And How Long They Last . Time . en.
  3. Web site: Freedman . Andrew . July 25, 2019 . A Giant 'Heat Dome' Over Europe Is Smashing Temperature Records, And It's on The Move .
  4. Web site: Extreme Heat CISA . 2024-04-01 . www.cisa.gov . en.
  5. Web site: Lacroux . Margaux . Qu'est-ce que le «dôme de chaleur» qui fait suffoquer le Canada ? . 2024-04-01 . Libération . fr.
  6. Fan . Yifan . Li . Yuguo . Bejan . Adrian . Wang . Yi . Yang . Xinyan . 2017-09-15 . Horizontal extent of the urban heat dome flow . Scientific Reports . en . 7 . 1 . 11681 . 10.1038/s41598-017-09917-4 . 28916810 . 5601473 . 2017NatSR...711681F . 2045-2322.
  7. Zhang . Yan . Wang . Xiaoxue . Fan . Yifan . Zhao . Yongling . Carmeliet . Jan . Ge . Jian . 2023-05-01 . Urban heat dome flow deflected by the Coriolis force . Urban Climate . 49 . 101449 . 10.1016/j.uclim.2023.101449 . 2023UrbCl..4901449Z . 2212-0955.
  8. Web site: Rosenthal . Zachary . 26 July 2018 . What is a heat dome? .
  9. Web site: Fleming . Sean . 29 June 2021 . What is the North American heat dome and how dangerous is it? .
  10. Web site: 2021 Northwest Heat Dome: Causes, Impacts and Future Outlook USDA Climate Hubs . 2024-04-01 . www.climatehubs.usda.gov . en.
  11. 2023-07-27 . What to Know About Heat Domes—And How Long They Last . 2024-04-01 . TIME . en.
  12. Web site: 2021 Northwest Heat Dome: Causes, Impacts and Future Outlook USDA Climate Hubs . 2024-03-28 . www.climatehubs.usda.gov . en.
  13. Chen . Ziming . Lu . Jian . Chang . Chuan-Chieh . Lubis . Sandro W. . Leung . L. Ruby . 2023-11-21 . Projected increase in summer heat-dome-like stationary waves over Northwestern North America . npj Climate and Atmospheric Science . en . 6 . 1 . 194 . 10.1038/s41612-023-00511-2 . 2023npCAS...6..194C . 2397-3722. free .
  14. Web site: 25 March 2024 . How Weather Affects Air Quality .
  15. Mickley . Loretta J. . July 2007 . A Future Short of Breath? Possible Effects of Climate Change on Smog . Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development . en . 49 . 6 . 32–43 . 10.3200/ENVT.49.6.34-43 . 2007ESPSD..49f..32M . 0013-9157.
  16. Zhang . Yuanjie . Wang . Liang . Santanello . Joseph A. . Pan . Zaitao . Gao . Zhiqiu . Li . Dan . 2020-05-01 . Aircraft observed diurnal variations of the planetary boundary layer under heat waves . Atmospheric Research . 235 . 104801 . 10.1016/j.atmosres.2019.104801 . 2020AtmRe.23504801Z . 0169-8095. free .
  17. Lamaoui . Mouna . Jemo . Martin . Datla . Raju . Bekkaoui . Faouzi . 2018 . Heat and Drought Stresses in Crops and Approaches for Their Mitigation . Frontiers in Chemistry . 6 . 26 . 10.3389/fchem.2018.00026 . free . 29520357 . 5827537 . 2018FrCh....6...26L . 2296-2646.
  18. Mera . Roberto . Massey . Neil . Rupp . David E. . Mote . Philip . Allen . Myles . Frumhoff . Peter C. . 2015-12-01 . Climate change, climate justice and the application of probabilistic event attribution to summer heat extremes in the California Central Valley . Climatic Change . en . 133 . 3 . 427–438 . 10.1007/s10584-015-1474-3 . 2015ClCh..133..427M . 1573-1480. free .
  19. Web site: 5 January 2023 . Causes of widespread foliar damage from the June 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome: more heat than drought . 2024-03-28 . academic.oup.com.
  20. Raymond . Wendel W. . Barber . Julie S. . Dethier . Megan N. . Hayford . Hilary A. . Harley . Christopher D. G. . King . Teri L. . Paul . Blair . Speck . Camille A. . Tobin . Elizabeth D. . Raymond . Ann E. T. . McDonald . P. Sean . 20 June 2022 . Assessment of the impacts of an unprecedented heatwave on intertidal shellfish of the Salish Sea . Ecology . en . 103 . 10 . e3798 . 10.1002/ecy.3798 . 0012-9658 . 9786359 . 35726191. 2022Ecol..103E3798R .
  21. Bratu . Andreea . Card . Kiffer G. . Closson . Kalysha . Aran . Niloufar . Marshall . Carly . Clayton . Susan . Gislason . Maya K. . Samji . Hasina . Martin . Gina . Lem . Melissa . Logie . Carmen H. . Takaro . Tim K. . Hogg . Robert S. . 2022-05-01 . The 2021 Western North American heat dome increased climate change anxiety among British Columbians: Results from a natural experiment . The Journal of Climate Change and Health . 6 . 100116 . 10.1016/j.joclim.2022.100116 . 2667-2782. free .
  22. Henderson . Sarah B. . McLean . Kathleen E. . Lee . Michael J. . Kosatsky . Tom . February 2022 . Analysis of community deaths during the catastrophic 2021 heat dome: Early evidence to inform the public health response during subsequent events in greater Vancouver, Canada . Environmental Epidemiology . en-US . 6 . 1 . e189 . 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000189. 35169667 . 8835552 .
  23. Henderson . Sarah B. . McLean . Kathleen E. . Lee . Michael J. . Kosatsky . Tom . February 2022 . Analysis of community deaths during the catastrophic 2021 heat dome: Early evidence to inform the public health response during subsequent events in greater Vancouver, Canada . Environmental Epidemiology . en-US . 6 . 1 . e189 . 10.1097/EE9.0000000000000189. 35169667 . 8835552 .
  24. Web site: 2021 Northwest Heat Dome: Causes, Impacts and Future Outlook USDA Climate Hubs . 2024-04-07 . www.climatehubs.usda.gov . en.
  25. Zhang . Yan . Wang . Xiaoxue . Fan . Yifan . Zhao . Yongling . Carmeliet . Jan . Ge . Jian . 2023-05-01 . Urban heat dome flow deflected by the Coriolis force . Urban Climate . 49 . 101449 . 10.1016/j.uclim.2023.101449 . 2023UrbCl..4901449Z . 2212-0955.
  26. Chen . Ziming . 21 November 2023 . Projected increase in summer heat-dome-like stationary waves over Northwestern North America . npj Climate and Atmospheric Science . 6 . 10.1038/s41612-023-00511-2 . 2023npCAS...6..194C . free .
  27. Web site: Mulkern . Anne . 3 October 2023 . Deadly Heat Dome Was a 1-in-10,000-Year Event .
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  29. Wong . Nyuk Hien . Yu . Chen . 2005-09-01 . Study of green areas and urban heat island in a tropical city . Habitat International . 29 . 3 . 547–558 . 10.1016/j.habitatint.2004.04.008 . 0197-3975.
  30. Pisello . Anna Laura . Santamouris . Mattheos . Cotana . Franco . October 2013 . Active cool roof effect: impact of cool roofs on cooling system efficiency . Advances in Building Energy Research . en . 7 . 2 . 209–221 . 10.1080/17512549.2013.865560 . 2013AdBER...7..209P . 1751-2549.
  31. Aynsley . Richard . Shiel . John J. . 2017-05-04 . Ventilation strategies for a warming world . Architectural Science Review . en . 60 . 3 . 249–254 . 10.1080/00038628.2017.1300764 . 0003-8628.
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  33. Bedi . Neil Singh . Adams . Quinn H. . Hess . Jeremy J. . Wellenius . Gregory A. . September 2022 . The Role of Cooling Centers in Protecting Vulnerable Individuals from Extreme Heat . Epidemiology . en-US . 33 . 5 . 611–615 . 10.1097/EDE.0000000000001503 . 35706096 . 9378433 . 1044-3983.
  34. Richards . Daniel R. . Edwards . Peter J. . 2018-07-04 . Using water management infrastructure to address both flood risk and the urban heat island . International Journal of Water Resources Development . en . 34 . 4 . 490–498 . 10.1080/07900627.2017.1357538 . 2018IJWRD..34..490R . 0790-0627.
  35. Peng . Roger D. . Bobb . Jennifer F. . Tebaldi . Claudia . McDaniel . Larry . Bell . Michelle L. . Dominici . Francesca . May 2011 . Toward a Quantitative Estimate of Future Heat Wave Mortality under Global Climate Change . Environmental Health Perspectives . en . 119 . 5 . 701–706 . 10.1289/ehp.1002430 . 21193384 . 3094424 . 0091-6765.
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