Under the heat dome
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Summer, which officially starts today, is kicking off with a bang, as a heat dome will bring scorching temperatures and humidity to much of the U.S.
Why it matters: Temperatures could rise to dangerous levels in some areas of the Midwest and East Coast.
Zoom in: Today will be the peak of the heat wave for Boulder, with a forecast of highs in the upper-90s and possibly even triple digits.
- Things should begin cooling down starting tomorrow, with highs in the mid- to upper-90s. By Sunday, highs are expected to be in the low-90s.
Zoom out: Our neighbors in Nebraska could see triple-digit temperatures over the weekend.
- The South, Great Lakes and East Coast are also expecting to get hit hard by this heat wave.
How it works: "A heat dome occurs when a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere acts as a reservoir that traps heat and humidity, " National Weather Service meteorologist Ricky Castro told the Associated Press.
- Moisture blown northward from the Gulf of Mexico is fueling the muggy weather, Jacob Asherman, a Weather Prediction Center meteorologist, told the AP.
- This influx of moisture is fairly typical during late spring and summer, he said.