Heat dome engulfs US in live tracker map that shows dozens of states impacted

Irish Daily Star

20-06-2025

A real-time tracking map is highlighting the areas in the U.S. where "ring of fire" thunderstorms are expected to break out as a colossal heat dome swells and blankets the nation,
turning weather maps purple
.
The Ventusky tracker features a slider at its base that can be adjusted to view hour-by-hour predictions and observe the movement of the heat dome across the country. The date can also be modified, with options available to see forecasts up until next Friday, June 27, as
Florida is expected to 'feel like Amazon Rainforest'.
By clicking the play button, an animation begins, allowing viewers to witness the heat dome's journey across the country in real time. Users can also click on the top left to alter the map's overlay and view live temperatures, precipitation, cloud cover, wind gusts and speeds, air pressure, and several other metrics.
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Hovering the mouse over the map reveals the temperature in specific areas or the amount of precipitation. However, the tracker - developed by a Czech Republic company - uses Celsius and the Metric System exclusively, with no option to switch to Fahrenheit or the Imperial System, so American viewers will need to manually convert the measurements.
Forecasts indicate that "ring of fire" thunderstorms are imminent as a massive heatwave intensifies and sweeps across the U.S. this week into the next, triggering severe thunderstorms and triple-digit temperatures.
AccuWeather meteorologists predict that the "ring of fire" will initially burst over parts of the northern Plains and Midwest, then move onto sections of the Northeast, and finally the Southwest and central Plains.
(Image: AccuWeather)
A heat dome, characterized by intensely high pressure and sinking air, makes it challenging for large numbers of thunderstorms to form. This phenomenon is set to trap 12 states within an "atmospheric wall" as the heat dome takes hold.
However, thunderstorms can easily erupt along the edges of the dome. Columns of air rise and form towering clouds, leading to gusty downpours, according to
weather
reports.
The severe weather already impacting several U.S. regions is expected to intensify significantly on Friday night. As the heat dome expands northward, thunderstorms will pummel these areas.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Emma Belscher voiced concerns about the escalating situation: "There is growing concern that a potent complex of severe thunderstorms will charge from North Dakota to northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during Friday night," She added, "This threat is expected to evolve into a concentrated, high-risk zone of severe weather."
In addition to the storms, hail and flash flooding are also anticipated on Friday night, along with a few tornadoes spawned by the fast-moving thunderstorms. These threats are expected to persist into the weekend as the storm system expands.
(Image: Getty Images)
This weekend, storms are set to hit the Great Lakes region near the Canadian border and parts of New England as the weather system expands. AccuWeather forecasts that Ontario and Quebec will bear the brunt on Saturday, followed by upstate New York and most of New England.
These storms will usher in powerful wind gusts and heavy rainfall, likely causing disruptions to travel and outdoor activities, while also providing a brief respite from the intense heat.
As this storm system shifts over the Atlantic, conditions could potentially deteriorate between Bermuda and the Carolinas, with the possibility of the system morphing into a tropical rainstorm if it remains intact.
But that's not all - AccuWeather meteorologists predict another round of storms for the plains next week, this time targeting the Southwest and Plains.
"Farther west, on the opposite side of the heat dome, tropical moisture - some associated with Erick - will be drawn across New Mexico, Colorado and parts of the High Plains next week," Belscher told AccuWeather.
On the bright side, these storms could help alleviate drought conditions and mitigate wildfire risks in the region. "Where a channel of moisture persists in parts of the Southwest, it could help ease drought and wildfire concerns," she added.
However, meteorologists urge caution, reminding the public that even predictions grounded in extensive data and research can sometimes miss the mark.