Urban Heat Island Effect Mapped: How Hot is Your City?

How hot is your city? Inner cities and suburbs have warmer temperatures than the surrounding countryside. Now, scientists have calculated these urban heat island intensities across the United States.

The urban heat island effect describes how the spatial configuration of cities, the materials in them, the lack of vegetation and waste heat can actually modify temperatures. These factors have long been associated with the formation of urban heat islands.

In this latest study, the researchers used a new method for calculating urban heat island intensities. They examined the Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensities of 50 cities with various urban morphologies. Then, the scientists evaluated the degree to which city configuration influences the UHI effect.

"The overall goal of our study was to clarify which urban form-sprawl or more-dense development-is most appropriate for UHI mitigation," said Neil Debbage the study's lead author, in a news release.

The researchers established a method for estimating UHI intensities using Parameter-elevation Relationships on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM), which is an analytical model that creates gridded estimates by incorporating climatic variables, expert knowledge of climatic events and digital elevation.

"We found that more contiguous sprawling and dense urban development both enhanced UHI intensities," said Debbage. In other words, it does not appear to be a simplistic either-or situation regarding sprawl or density."

The researchers hope that the new results can help influence city planners when it comes to mitigating the urban heat island effect.

The findings are published in the journal Computers, Environment and Urban Systems.

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