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Heat Dome Shifts: East Braces for Record Heat, West Cools
29 Mar
Summary
- Heat dome moving east will bring record heat to central and eastern US.
- Western US will experience cooler temperatures and welcome rainfall.
- Early April forecasts predict significant weather pattern changes nationwide.

A powerful heat dome, characterized by trapped hot air causing extreme temperatures, is repositioning from the western U.S. to the east. This "major pattern change" is expected to bring welcome relief to drought-stricken regions in the West with cooler weather, rain, and mountain snow.
Meanwhile, the central, eastern, and southeastern United States are preparing for a significant heatwave commencing in early April. Forecasters anticipate temperatures soaring well above seasonal averages, potentially breaking records, with highs in the 80s predicted for the Southeast.
This shift may also bring thunderstorms and heavy rainfall as a cold front interacts with the warmer air, potentially causing localized flooding in some areas. The National Weather Prediction Center describes the outlook for the West as unsettled with multiple cooler weather systems anticipated.