Persistent heat dome could bring extreme heat for weeks

After a busy July full of rain chances and milder conditions, the long-term pattern looks to somewhat dry up and quiet down. A ridge of high pressure is currently building across the western United States, and this system could be in place through the rest of the month. Heat alerts are already up from the desert southwest to the Upper Plains, and this heat only expands in the coming days.

Central Missouri will see temperatures in the triple digits for a large portion of the week, with the heat index climbing even higher. Long-term forecasts suggest this system peaks into the weekend but persists even longer. This would likely keep the heat around through the early part of next month, indicating a weeks-long heat wave for a good portion of the country.