The science behind the current heat wave
It's no secret that it's been hot across much of the midwest including Mid-Missouri. Many people have been wondering what's causing such a long heat wave to remain across the region. The main culprit behind this heat, is a slow moving high pressure system.
When looking at the upper-level jet-stream, meteorologist often try to find patterns that resemble ridges and troughs. This would suggest features that look like wave crest. This helps meteorologist identify high and low pressure systems. Whenever a ridge is seen, a high pressure system can be identified like that seen on the forecast map above.
The current high pressure ridge overhead looks to slowly move to the east, but not until the very end of the week. This allows the heat to remain overhead.
Winds around a high pressure system spin in a clockwise motion in the northern hemisphere. This explains much of the why behind the heat we are seeing. Winds in the lower-level jet stream often times influence out surface temperatures greatly.
Winds are currently coming from the south. This means our current air mass overhead is originating from the Gulf before being pulled north towards the midwest.
Since the Gulf is such a warm and humid area thanks to the ocean, the air overhead this region is a lot more humid. This humid air is then pulled towards Central Missouri aiding in an increase in the heat index.
Looking a little further out, our current high pressure system looks to push east and weaken by the second half of the week.
Temperatures remain above average still, but the humidity does settle just a bit allowing for the decrease of our heat index values by a few degrees.
The bad news for those who aren't fans of this heat comes from what's happening along the Rockies by Saturday. Another slow moving high pressure system is expected to develop and push east by Sunday bring more dangerous heat index values closer to or above the 105 degree threshold.
This has prompted additional ABC 17 Stormtrack 17 Weather Alert Days from Sunday lasting through Tuesday.
