Why are heat domes forming more frequently in summer months?

A heat dome is like a giant blanket that traps hot air near the ground, making it feel even hotter.

Imagine you're wearing a heavy jacket on a sunny day, your body gets warmer because the jacket stops the heat from escaping. A heat dome works in a similar way. The sun heats up the ground, and then the air above it also gets hot. Sometimes, high-pressure weather systems act like that heavy jacket, keeping the hot air from rising and moving away. This creates a sort of "blanket" over the area, making it feel much hotter than usual.

In summer, the sun is stronger, and the ground gets really warm, almost like a hot sidewalk that burns your feet when you walk on it barefoot. Now imagine the air above that hot sidewalk getting stuck under a heavy jacket (the high-pressure system). This makes the heat stay close to the ground for longer periods of time.

As Earth gets warmer, these conditions are happening more often, just like how a hot day feels even hotter when you're wearing a heavy coat. That’s why we see more and stronger heat domes in summer now than before!