Massive heat dome forecast to bake much of U.S. by late next week

A huge, hot area of high pressure is forecast to develop over the central United States next week, which may result in the nation’s most significant heat wave of the summer.

Forecast models, across the board, suggest this dome of hot air will be massive, affecting most of the country, except the Pacific Northwest.

It is too soon to say exactly how hot temperatures will be, but initial indications are that the central United States may face some of the country’s hottest weather with respect to normal. Record heat is certainly a possibility, although exactly how many records fall and where won’t come into focus for several more days