Much of British Columbia, northern Alberta and parts of Yukon and the Northwest Territories are experiencing a “heat dome” that is expected to shatter high-temperature records over the next few days. Temperatures into the 40s Celsius are expected for many parts of B.C. Many communities across the northern half of Alberta could also see temperatures near the 40 C mark by early next week. Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon explains the phenomenon and what to expect in British Columbia. What is a heat dome? A heat dome is caused by a strong ridge of high pressure that traps warm air underneath it. Although not a term commonly used by Environment Canada scientists, the heat dome gets its name because the ridge acts like a dome, allowing the sun to crank up the heat below and create a heat wave that lasts at least a few days. How often does this …