View synonyms for heat wave

heat wave

or heat·wave

[ heet weyv ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Meteorology, Climatology.

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.
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

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

First recorded in 1875–80

EnerNOC in turn pays users—which it calls “assets”—to curtail power usage during peak-demand events such as a heat wave.

If you thought this recent heat wave has been bad, try braving 1,800-degree temperatures with 4,350-mile-per-hour winds.

This summer's punishing heat wave could wreak havoc on grocery bills.

A study published in 2005 showed just that kind of loading for the European heat wave of 2003.

As a “giant heat wave” moved east across the nation, heat records that dated back to the Dust Bowl fell with uncanny speed.

The heat-wave had put forward the almanac, and the Newport season was in full swing nearly a month in advance of its usual date.

The next day the first intense heat wave of summer swept over Tunkett.

In the case of a sustained heat-wave, this would take place at some time during each night.

Here we were in the middle of a heat wave, the thermometer nudging ninety, and the old guy's wrist is like an icicle!

We were in a furnace—a heat-wave in which we were like to drown.

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