Heat Wave

 source: Weather Network 1 day ago

translation: GoogleTranslate/doxa-louise

What our next heatwave portends

The phenomenon responsible for the heat and humidity which are reaching Quebec can also have serious repercussions on the southeastern United States ...

Impacts of the (Azores) Bermuda High

When Quebec experiences a heat incursion or a heat wave, it can sometimes represent a danger for the southeastern United States. The reason: the Bermuda High, a high pressure system, which plays an important role for these two parts of the continent.

From the tropics to Quebec

The Bermuda High includes clockwise winds that pick up the heat and humidity from the Gulf of Mexico to bring it to Quebec, hence the heatwave we will experience at the start of the week. It will be so intense that heat stroke will be possible.

These clockwise winds also determine the direction tropical systems take and which regions will be affected. These easterly winds located on the southern crown of the anticyclone are called trade winds.

Decisive positioning

When the Bermuda High is in the eastern Atlantic, tropical systems tend to stay offshore. In addition, this high pressure system then had little impact on the weather in Quebec other than making Quebec more vulnerable to cold air descents, although this does not prevent the incursion of transient heat.

However, the repercussions are greater when the Bermuda High is found near the American coast. The province experiences cumulative hot days, even scorching in some cases. In addition, this mass of tropical air rising towards us is often unstable, which generally causes thunderstorms at the end of the day.

Moreover, this closer positioning constitutes an even greater danger for the south-eastern part of the continent, when it occurs during the summer and early fall. This is usually a more hectic time with regards  to tropical storms, where major hurricanes can emerge and be transported to the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, causing havoc there.

While Quebec is experiencing an intense heat wave this week, a tropical wave could intensify in the Atlantic basin and become the sixth storm of the season. It will be necessary to monitor its trajectory since the Bahamas and Cuba are in its sights.

                                                          

                                             source: Wikipedia