Big heat dome to expand across West and Central U.S: Impacts on SW monsoon, wildfire, & more [2A0yxoDLXXL]
The latest in a recurring series of live, virtual, & interactive #weather and #climate-focused "office hours" hosted by Dr. Daniel Swain. 07/09/2026 topic: An exceptionally broad ridge of high pressure (aka a "heat dome") will build across the western and central United States between now and mid-July, bringing a major heatwave to much of the western half of the country. Some locations, though not all, will see the possibility of record high temperatures, and wildfire risk will once again be on the increase. But so, too, will be monsoonal moisture across the Southwest, including California, and some areas may see an increasingly likelihood of dry-to-wet thunderstorms. All of this, and more, in today's session!