Summers in the City: The Urban Heat Island
On a particularly hot day, when even the air conditioning can’t seem to keep you from breaking a sweat, your best bet may be to get out of the city. On hot days, air temperatures in a city can be as much as 22°F (12°C) hotter than the air in nearby, less developed areas. Scientists have come to call this the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The difference in temperature is partially caused by the dark,