(Sub)Urban Heat Islands
Analyzing the Relationship Between Air Temperature and Impervious Surface and Distance to Coastline in Palo Alto, CA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.4194Keywords:
Urban Heat Island, Albedo, Impervious Surface, Extreme HeatAbstract
Record-breaking temperatures are being measured across the world, and California is no exception. Extreme heat is worsened by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect – where urban areas experience significantly higher surface and air temperatures than surrounding rural areas. The UHI Effect is driven by multiple environmental factors: two of which are impervious surface concentration and distance to a body of water. This study analyzes the relationship between these two variables and air temperature across three time windows—morning (6-7 AM), afternoon (3-4 pm), and evening (7-8 pm)—on a hot day in Palo Alto. This analysis, although limited to Palo Alto, informs how higher impervious surface concentrations and longer distances to water can be associated with more extreme heat. The findings in this study provide insight into how future urban planning can reduce extreme heat risk.
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