Blast waves from explosions feature rapid temperature changes due to extreme compression and expansion of air. At the shock front, temperatures can spike to thousands of degrees Kelvin from adiabatic heating, then drop sharply behind the front.[atomicarchive]

Shock Front Heating

The leading edge of a blast wave compresses air nearly instantaneously, causing temperatures to rise dramatically—often exceeding 3,000–5,000 K for high-explosive blasts, similar to conditions in a nuclear fireball initially. This heating ionizes air and produces luminous effects like fireballs. As the wave propagates, peak temperatures decrease with distance due to energy dissipation.[link.springer +1]