A massive heat dome has settled over the central and southern United States, leaving tens of millions of people sweltering under dangerously high temperatures as the oppressive weather stretched into its second day on Sunday.
The atmospheric system, which traps heat and intensifies existing high temperatures, has blanketed a vast region from Minnesota south to Mississippi and west into California and Nevada. Heat indexes climbed well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit across the affected zones, with parts of the southwest expecting highs near 120 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
At least 40 million people were operating under extreme heat warnings as humidity compounded the danger. In Omaha, Nebraska, Pete Miller, an outreach manager for the homeless services network Threshold CoC, described conditions as extraordinarily hot while his organization distributed water to residents struggling with the conditions. "We're seeing a lot of people who are exhausted, drained by the heat in a way that is really dangerous," Miller said. "The humidity is insane. You stand outside for 30 seconds and you get drenched."
The heat has already left its mark across the region. Rapid City, South Dakota, recorded an all-time high of 112 degrees on Saturday. The extreme conditions forced the cancellation of a horse race at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, on Sunday.
Meteorologist Bob Oravec from the National Weather Service said the heat dome's core will shift southward early next week, bringing temporary relief to the central U.S. by midweek before potentially returning by the weekend. He noted that the atmospheric dynamics creating extreme heat in one region simultaneously produce severe weather elsewhere, with moist air around the heat dome's edges triggering severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail risks around the Great Lakes.
Health officials warned that children, older adults and people with certain medical conditions face heightened risk of heat stroke and death. They urged people to seek air conditioning or cooling centers, maintain proper hydration and limit direct sun exposure.
Scientists link the intensifying frequency and severity of extreme heat events to climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels. The continental U.S. experienced its second-hottest first half of any year on record in 2026, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Author James Rodriguez: "This isn't a story about weather anymore, it's a story about infrastructure and inequality failing people when they need it most."
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