Nationwide analysis, including census block group assessments
of temperature amplification in 65 cities, identifies areas where
residents face highest risks during extreme heat events
PRINCETON, N.J.,
July 10,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 5 million people
in New York City, Chicago, and San
Francisco live in environments capable of amplifying summer
temperatures by at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a
Climate Central analysis of 65 U.S. cities. Called urban heat
islands, these areas will increasingly expose residents to higher
heat-related health risks as climate change raises local
temperatures.
Millions exposed to higher temperatures in
65 major U.S. cities, urban heat island research shows
For 145,000 living in the most extreme urban heat islands, the
local built environment can push temperatures even higher, by 12
degrees Fahrenheit or more. Climate Central's analysis of census
block groups – typically fractions of neighborhoods including a
handful of city blocks – identified areas within 19 cities where
factors such as building and paving materials, population density,
and lack of greenspace can make temperatures far hotter than in
neighboring communities.
Few city residents can avoid the influence of urban heat
islands. Nearly 34 million – 68% of the population within the
cities analyzed by Climate Central – live in environments capable
of boosting temperatures by at least 8 degrees Fahrenheit. The
analysis also quantifies and maps the impacts of urban heat islands
beyond census-defined city limits, by census tracts, which
typically include multiple block groups.
"Urban heat islands already expose residents to disproportionate
heat risks and cooling costs, which will only climb as long as
carbon pollution drives up global temperatures," Jennifer Brady, Climate Central's senior data
analyst, said. "Until cities take action to cool these areas,
people who live there will face the worst impacts of climate
change."
The ten U.S. cities in the Climate Central analysis whose
citywide urban heat island effects can increase temperatures the
most (in degrees Fahrenheit) include: New
York (+9.6), San Francisco
(+9.1), Newark, N.J. (+9.0),
Chicago (+8.7), Philadelphia (+8.5), Washington D.C. (+8.5), West Palm Beach, Fla. (+8.5) Boston (+8.4), Miami (+8.4), and Baltimore (+8.4).
A Climate Matters summary of findings, methodology, map graphics
for 65 cities analyzed at the census block group level, and data
beneath the maps are available on the Climate Central website at:
https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/urban-heat-islands-2024
All data beneath this analysis, including census tract-level
data and mapping capacity for all locations in the contiguous U.S.,
are available through from Observable at:
https://climatecentral.observablehq.cloud/urban-heat-hot-spots/
About Climate Central
Climate Central is a
non-advocacy, non-profit science and news organization providing
authoritative information to help the public and policymakers make
sound decisions about climate and energy.
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SOURCE Climate Central