The Pour Over Today - What Is a Heat Dome? (And Why It's Making This Summer So Brutal)

Starting point is 00:00:00 Have you ever tried to cook anything when it's really hot outside? Like cook it outside? Oh, like cookies on my car windshield or something? Yeah. No, have you? No, but I really want to. I really like cookie dough anyway, so it doesn't bother me if it doesn't work. Okay, but it's been like on your car outside.

Starting point is 00:00:20 No, no, I'd leave it like on a pan, like inside the car where the sun comes through the windshield. Oh, okay. So then it's not like the trees are like a bird. I'm not just offering. I'm just like not putting an offering out for the birds. That's what I was picturing in my head. No, this is for me. Okay.

Starting point is 00:00:41 I want to try it. Well, we could also try scramble dyes. That feels weird. Oh, gross. Don't do that. You should try cooks. So you're saying there is a line. Hey, it's Kathleen.

Starting point is 00:01:01 And I'm Catherine Ann. Welcome. to TPO Explains, where we provide news context for normal people, or normal-ish, if you're like us. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we'll summarize the day's biggest headlines, but throughout the week, as we are writing about different topics, we never understand all of it. So on Saturdays, we pick one of the topics from that week, and we do a shallow dive into what it is and what we didn't understand. We want to educate ourselves and bring you along with us.

Starting point is 00:01:30 So, K.A., what are we learning about today? Well, most of America and most of Europe recently have been trapped under heat domes. And so I didn't know what a heat dome was. I hadn't even heard the term until it made it in the headlines. And we thought, let's learn a thing or two about heat domes. Yeah, let's do it. Okay, so KAA is our writer who does these shallow dives for us. So she is going to read today's newsletter.

Starting point is 00:01:56 You can follow along with your eyes or just listen along with your ears. Let's get into it. Yeah. So we have to start with what even is a heat dome. It is a large area of high pressure in the atmosphere that parks above a region and traps heat beneath it for days at a time, which is rude if you ask. So rude. So think putting a lid on a pot of boiling water. The lid pushes the heat down and as it sinks, it compresses, gets even hotter and has nowhere to go. I mean, okay, when I pictured a heat dome, I'll say what I pictured. You know, But like in P.E. when you would have to play with the parachute, or you got to play, I should say you got to play with the parachute.

Starting point is 00:02:37 Like, it was always fun to see the parachute come out. And then you would lift it up and everybody would have to go under it and you'd sit on it and make a dome. In my head, that is what a heat dome was like. Like, yeah, but I don't know. It was always weird because it like looked fun. But then you got under there and you could smell all the other sweaty kids and you were like, this is kind of weird. But let's do it again. So anyway, just so you know, that is what I picture. I don't know how scientifically accurate that is, but that's fair. That is a fair image to have. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:03:09 That makes sense. Yeah. Great. So the thing about heat domes is they also keep rain clouds from forming. Since moist air has to rise enough to condense and nothing is rising on the domes watch. So in already dry places, that means a higher wildfire risk on top of the sweat. But wouldn't this just be the same thing as a heat wave? The answer is yes and also no.

Starting point is 00:03:33 A heat wave is a broader term for an extended period of hotter than normal temperatures in an area, and a heat dome is one specific way to get a heat wave. So once it's parked, it becomes this feedback loop of sinking hot air, sunny days, no rain, and then we all get really sweaty. So sweaty. In other words, every heat dome is a heat wave, but not every heat wave is a heat dome. Capish? I'm following.

Starting point is 00:04:00 I did look up capish. I also understand that now, too. Good, I'm glad. So how do heat domes form? We can blame the jet streams, which are fast-moving rivers of air in the atmosphere. They usually flow in unproblematic wavy lines, but sometimes they grow into big, slow loops and stall out.

Starting point is 00:04:22 That stall allows high pressure to build, and the sinking heat cycle takes it from there. But here's the real question. How do you get rid? of a heat dome. Yeah. You can't. You just have to wait it out.

Starting point is 00:04:36 Eventually, the jet stream will correct itself, or another weather system will overpower it, but until then, be sure to stock up on ice cream, stay in the shade, and drink tons of water. Okay. Yeah, an element. Favorite flavor element go. Raspberry. Oh, sorry.

Starting point is 00:04:53 That's fine. I actually was going to say pink lemonade. That's not, that's probably my second favorite. Yeah. It's just like subtle. That's true. Todd, when he was gone for the last three weeks, I put out a lemonade box. So when he got home, the lemonade box was out.

Starting point is 00:05:09 He's like, so you just get out the good stuff while I'm gone? And I was like, I did not do this on purpose. Hey, it's Steph. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a recipe says it only takes 20 minutes, but the fine print says, if you're a Michelin Star Chef, for all you normies, it'll take an hour. Hello Fresh doesn't play that game. Their fried chicken Sammy recipe said it would take 35 minutes, and it actually took 35 minutes.

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Starting point is 00:06:19 That's hellofresh.com slash TPO 10 FM to get 10 free meals plus free breakfast for life. Um, okay. So when you're writing this article, was there anything that you pictured or thought in your head that you had wrong that you realized after you researched? Yeah. So I didn't realize this about heat. Heat is the deadliest weather hazard in the U.S. I would have thought it was like tornadoes. But it's deadlier than hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, all of it. It's heat, which was crazy to me. I mean, I could see that. Like just maybe it happens more often. People, it doesn't sound as dramatic, people don't take the precautions.

Starting point is 00:07:09 I think that's, they're like, oh, it's just hot. True. Yeah, people aren't taking the necessary precautions and they're still doing things. Yeah. Interesting. Well, what was the hardest part of the article

Starting point is 00:07:19 for you explain in plain English? Definitely jet streams. I still don't fully understand jet streams and I was trying to wrap my head around them I was like, okay, what is a jet stream? How does it get stalled out? What does that mean? I did really associate with the part where it said,

Starting point is 00:07:41 stalling out and feeling pressure build, because that happens to me a lot. You and the jet streams? Yeah. I mean, I do, when you said rivers in the ear, or rivers of air, that's exactly what I picture. I don't really know anything else about it. I'm like, they have a start and an end.

Starting point is 00:07:59 or like, what do you mean? Something interrupted the jet stream and they were just trying to catch a breeze. Like, if you're a meteorologist listening and you can explain this better to us, please send a voice memo and we'll feature you in the next podcast. I would love that. I would love to hear that.

Starting point is 00:08:14 Like, explain it to me like I'm five, you know? Okay. Well, I mean, I do. I understand heat domes now. It's a temporary stalling out of the breeze at a much... In the atmosphere, yeah. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:08:29 Yeah, yeah. I mean, it makes sense if there's like no air moving through a space. Pressure builds. It gets hot. It gets hot. What's our Christian perspective for this article? Yeah. So when we face major weather events, like heat domes or severe storms, we're reminded of our weakness. But our God is the creator of the weather, and he holds us by our hand. He will protect us and keep us. and the verse we have for this is Isaiah chapter 42 verses 5 through 6 which says this is what God the Lord says who create the heavens and stretch them out who spread out the earth and what comes from it

Starting point is 00:09:07 who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it I am the Lord I have called you for a righteous purpose and I will hold you by your hand I will watch over you and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the nations Great, thanks Kay. Before we go, let's take a moment to pray, a prayer for refuge. God, our refuge, as the world roars and churns and sows the seeds of panic and distress, you are our safe haven. You are our rock, our fortress, our hiding place. As the cares of the world confront us, deliver us from fear and keep us in your perfect peace. Still our unrest with your power. Satisfy us with your provision.

Starting point is 00:09:54 stabilize us with your presence. Amen. If you guys like that and want more guided prayers like it to help you bring current events to the Lord, you should check out TPO's new audio devotional and join us in prayer on Monday. You can text pray to 71989. That's 71989, where you can check the show notes. And if you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like and subscribe. You can find all of our past explainers as well as our Monday, Wednesday, Friday news summaries on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast. or wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time. Bye.

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The Pour Over Today - What Is a Heat Dome? (And Why It's Making This Summer So Brutal)

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