Heat Dome Drives Triple-Digit Heat Across 90 Million US Residents

A massive heat dome is causing extreme heat and high humidity across the central and eastern United States, affecting over 90 million people with heat index values reaching 105 to 115 degrees in cities like Chicago, St. Louis, and Memphis. The Corn Belt is experiencing severe humidity due to 'corn sweat,' where moisture released by corn plants exacerbates the oppressive heat. The heat wave is expected to peak midweek, with temperatures soaring into the 90s and triple digits in parts of the Midwest, South, and Northeast, including cities like Detroit, Kansas City, and Dallas. Overnight temperatures remain unusually high, increasing heat stress and the risk of heat-related illnesses. Climate studies indicate that human-driven climate change has made such extreme summer heat at least three times more likely for nearly half of the U.S. population, with drought conditions worsening in parts of the central Plains. Thunderstorms and scattered showers are expected later in the week, but limited rainfall overall suggests a prolonged heat wave with significant agricultural and health impacts.