Heat Wave Weather Patterns

Source: Heat Wave | Wikimedia

• Heat waves commonly occur during the summer when weather patterns are slower to shift.
• Most often heat waves happen when a ridge of high pressure sits over an area for an extended period of time.
• Dry air moves down, compresses and warms, quickly heating the ground.
• This raises the air temperature, and since high pressures are typically cloud free, the increased sunlight also contributes to the warming air.