A heat dome is affecting eight Arab countries and several capitals in the eastern Mediterranean, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius.

Arab Weather - Maps of weather system movement at the Arab Weather Center indicate that several Arab countries will be affected in the coming days by the so-called heat dome phenomenon, accompanied by extremely high temperatures and hot to extremely hot summer weather. What is a heat dome and which countries are affected by it? The following report explains the following.

A heat dome is affecting eight Arab countries, with several capitals set to experience temperatures as high as 40 degrees.

God willing, the heat dome is expected to affect eight Arab countries in the coming days, including: Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq. The heat dome is accompanied by a significant rise in temperatures, exceeding their average by about 10-12 degrees Celsius, amid a summer-like atmosphere, meaning it is generally hot to very hot during the daytime hours, amid recommendations to avoid prolonged and direct exposure to sunlight.

Several capitals in the eastern Mediterranean are set to experience temperatures in the 40s.

With the increasing influence of the tropical high in the upper atmosphere, which is fueling the heat dome and increasing the heating of the air near the Earth's surface, several capitals in the eastern Mediterranean are expected to record temperatures in the forties over the coming days. The following are the expected temperatures for Saturday and Sunday, according to the Arab Weather app:

Cairo:
Saturday's maximum temperature: 43°C
Maximum temperature on Sunday: 38°C

Oman:
Saturday's maximum temperature: 39°C
High temperature on Sunday: 36°C

Jerusalem:
Saturday's maximum temperature: 39°C
High temperature on Sunday: 33°C

Damascus:
Saturday's maximum temperature: 39°C
Maximum temperature on Sunday: 38°C

Baghdad:
Maximum temperature on Saturday: 38°C
High temperature on Sunday: 43°C

Kuwait:
Saturday's maximum temperature: 40°C
High temperature on Sunday: 44°C

What is the heat dome phenomenon?

A heat dome is a weather phenomenon resulting from a high-pressure area in the upper atmosphere, heating the air in the lower atmosphere due to a dynamic process called convection. As air in a specific area is compressed under the influence of a high-pressure area in the upper atmosphere, a hot surface air mass is created, the intensity of which varies depending on the region, the strength of the high-pressure area, and the period of its formation during the year.

The high air traps the hot air like a lid on a boiling pot. As the hot air expands vertically in the atmosphere, the high pressure pushes it back toward the ground. The air is compressed again under the high pressure area, causing it to gain even more heat. This is known scientifically as "heating under pressure."

A heat dome can cause temperatures to rise much higher than normal. Furthermore, the ground begins to warm, lose moisture, and the risk of wildfires increases. The heat dome's impact is also felt more acutely in urban areas and urban sprawl, at the expense of agricultural areas, as cities absorb and store heat, unlike rural areas.

And God knows best.