As many city residents can tell you, cities can be very hot places during the summer. On warm summer days, the air in a city can be 6-8°F hotter than its surrounding areas. Scientists call these cities "Urban Heat Islands." What causes this to happen?

There are fewer trees, shrubs, and other plants to shade buildings, intercept solar radiation, and cool the air by "evapotranspiration." Link to: Vegetation

Buildings and pavement made of dark materials absorb the sun's rays instead of reflecting them away, causing the temperature of the surfaces and the air around them to rise. Link to: Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements

These higher temperatures contribute to a trend of increasing temperatures. Link to: Increasing Temperatures

There are many existing climate data sources that can be used to study heat islands. Link to: "Existing Climate Data Sources and Their Use in Heat Island Research"