Ridge Of High Pressure Traps Heat, Shatters Century-Old Records
Miles City, Montana hit 115°F on July 12, breaking a 111°F record as Sheridan, Wyoming topped a mark set in 1907.
- Salt Lake City hit 109°F on July 12, four degrees past its old 105°F record.
- Heat-related emergency room visits across Mountain states spiked tenfold during July, per NASA's GEOS model data.
- A stalled ridge of high pressure suppressed clouds and rain, trapping surface heat near 45°C (113°F).
Why it matters: Records set in 1907 do not fall from ordinary weather; something in the baseline has shifted.