heat wave

or heat·wave

[ heet weyv ]

noun

, Meteorology, Climatology.

1. a period of abnormally hot and usually humid weather; heat event:

   I moved to the coast up north because summer back home has become one long, unbearable heat wave.

2. an air mass of high temperature covering an extended area and moving relatively slowly:

   Another heat wave is expected to form across the South and into the Northeast by week’s end.

heat wave

noun

1. a continuous spell of abnormally hot weather
2. not in technical use an extensive slow-moving air mass at a relatively high temperature

Word History and Origins

Origin of heat wave¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

In addition to fueling Wednesday’s freakish bomb cyclone in the Pacific Northwest, atmospheric rivers were also responsible for a freakish Antarctic heat wave in April.

From Salon

“Climate change is threatening water resources, increasing challenges to food and fiber production, and compromising human health in the Southwest through drought, wildfire, intense precipitation, sea level rise, and marine heat waves,” Declet-Barreto said.

From Salon

“We are seeing or starting to see more severe impacts of climate change, so heat waves have driven up energy demand for cooling of homes and offices,” said Dr Anne Olhoff, from UNEP.

From BBC

An even higher percentage of these areas, between 15 percent and 36 percent, is expected to regularly experience droughts due to the frequent heat waves caused by climate change.

From Salon

For decades Antarctica has reeled from a series of ocean heat waves and ice loss events.

From Salon

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