LOS ANGELES — The extreme temperatures that will bear down on California over the next week are the result of a “heat dome,” a phenomenon that typically brings broiling conditions to the state as summer fades into fall. But climate change is worsening the dome’s effects and making it more lethal for people who cannot seek relief.
Experts are sounding alarms about what they say is likely to be the worst heat wave of the year so far.
“We’ve always had these systems, but not as frequently, not as intense and not as long-lasting,” said Bill Patzert, a retired climatologist in the Los Angeles area.
