The last week of June brought the most severe early-summer heat dome in recent United States history. More than 280 high temperature records were broken, and another 121 tied. More than 130 million people were placed under extreme heat warnings or advisories. Cities including Springfield, Ohio, (104°F); Baltimore, Maryland, (105°F); and New York City (96°F) endured record or near-record highs. The heat index soared past 100°F across much of the Midwest and East Coast, and even Alaska issued its first-ever heat advisory.
Scientists have been clear: This was not a random weather event. Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index estimated that high temperatures across the eastern U.S. during the final week of June were at least five times more likely because of human-caused climate change. A new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences tied the persistence of the heat dome to a rise in planetary wave resonance events, atmospheric patterns that stall heat and prevent weather systems from moving. These patterns have tripled over the last 70 years, driven in part by Arctic warming and land warming faster than the oceans.
And, according to The New York Times, global warming itself is accelerating faster than expected; Earth’s energy imbalance, the amount of heat trapped by the planet, has more than doubled in the past two decades. These shifts are actively creating the conditions for more frequent and more dangerous heat domes across the United States and globally.
This context, however, was missing from the larger story national TV news told about the heat dome.
On cable:
- CNN aired 39 minutes across 23 segments, with no climate mentions.
- MSNBC aired 47 minutes across 19 segments, with 3 climate mentions.
- Fox News aired 43 minutes across 34 segments, with no climate mentions.
On broadcast:
- ABC aired 38 minutes across 26 segments, with no climate mentions.
- CBS aired 46 minutes across 28 segments, with 3 climate mentions.
- NBC aired 47 minutes across 29 segments, with no climate mentions.
Coverage provided useful information — including forecasts, advisories, and heat safety tips — but rarely went further. Audiences were warned to hydrate, limit outdoor exposure, and monitor the heat index. What they were not told is why events like this are happening more often, and what systems and policies are shaping their future severity.
The heat dome was treated as a weather story, not a climate one.
A select few segments, however, did provide meaningful context by linking the heat dome to climate change, federal policy decisions, and the unequal burdens placed on vulnerable communities by global warming.
During the June 25 episode of CBS Mornings, correspondent David Schechter reported on how climate change is driving up electricity costs associated with air conditioning and how the Trump administration’s plan to eliminate federal utility assistance would leave vulnerable families without financial support.
