A major heat dome is gripping the Western United States this week, driving unseasonably high temperatures across Colorado and the Southwest. Forecasts show daily highs reaching the 80s and 90s, increasing the risk of heat-related illness, heat stress and other health complications.
This unusual weather highlights the growing impact of shifts in meteorological patterns on regional temperatures and underscores the importance of proactive heat safety strategies.
Laura Kelley, a media relations professional in the CU Anschutz Office of Communications, spoke with Jay Lemery, MD, an emergency medicine professor and co-director of the CU Anschutz Climate & Health Program, to explain what a heat dome is, how it affects public health and how Colorado communities and hospitals are preparing for extreme heat events.