The Middle East Dome of Heat
The Middle East has been under an apocalyptic-like dome of heat recently. The weather there, especially over Iran and Iraq has been brutal, almost like Hell on earth. Searing heat have produced 164 degrees in one Iranian city, Bandar Mahshahr, when using the heat index last week. In worn torn Baghdad, the heat index (it combines the actual temperature with humidity) reached 120 degrees F. That is hot even for this city. So, the government declared a four day "heat" holiday to allow people to cool off in the Euphrates River. Last week, the area had eight days of 120 F. However, while these temps are hellish, they pale in recorded history. Back in 2003, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, reached an oven-like 178 degree F. This same satanic-like heat dome was over Pakistan in June. Then, is parked over the city of Karachi and produced 600 deaths. There, the temps were 113F for many days during the city's brown out, which acerbated the situation. With no electricity, nobody could cool off. The same heat dome was over India before Pakistan. It parked over the country for five weeks, ending in late May. It left 230 people dead.
The Middle East is the devil's playground in more ways than one. It is broiling over with violence and war. It seems now the gremlins have produced a natural hell with the heat dome. The heat dome is an high pressure ridge that causes the air below it to sink and temperatures to soar to new heights. So, if you think it is hot wherever you are, think again!