Heat dome brings record heat to south-central US in mid-September
A heat dome pushed temperatures to record levels in parts of the south-central United States as astronomical summer neared its end, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to NASA Earth Observatory, a high-pressure area produced unseasonable heat across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee on September 15. A NASA map based on satellite observations and the GEOS model shows temperatures in some areas approaching or exceeding 40°C (104°F).
More than 41 million people, or about 12% of the US population, were under National Weather Service extreme heat advisories, watches or warnings that day. Meteorologists warned that high humidity, limited cloud cover and light winds could make temperatures feel higher than thermometer readings and increase the risk of heat-related illness.
Several cities recorded daily temperature records. Dallas reached 101°F (38°C), Memphis 99°F (37°C), and Nashville 100°F (38°C). Each city was at least 12°F warmer than normal for September 15. Nashville also broke its daily high-temperature record set in 1927 and recorded a record-high minimum temperature of 75°F (24°C) the previous day.
A heat dome develops when high pressure in the upper atmosphere pushes hot air toward the surface and traps it there. The system suppresses clouds and precipitation, allowing more sunlight to reach the ground and further raising temperatures.
The heat followed the warmest June-through-August period on record for the contiguous United States in 132 years, according to NOAA. The 2026 three-month period was 0.4°F warmer than the previous records set in 1936 and 2021.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that several school districts had shortened classes or switched to half-day schedules as temperatures and humidity rose in West Michigan.
