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A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Meteorology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 August 2022) | Viewed by 30396

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Dr. Sen Chiao

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NOAA Cooperative Science Center in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
Interests: air quality modeling; stratospheric ozone; aerosols
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Dr. Robert Pasken

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Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA
Interests: weather; radar meteorology; real meteorology; meteorological aspects of emergency management
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Dr. Ricardo Sakai

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Department of Physics and Astronomy, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
Interests: LiDAR; radiosonde; PBL height; seasonal variation; Surface data
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Prof. Dr. Belay Demoz

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1. Department of Physics, University of Maryland，Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
2. Director, Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
Interests: atmospheric dynamics; lidar; climate observations; atmospheric instrumentation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The intensity of heat islands can vary significantly between cities and may cause impacts on energy consumption, air quality, public health, and social equity. Although the urban heat island effect has had little connection to the global climate, recent research findings suggest that on a global average, urban heat island warming will probably be equivalent to about half the warming caused by climate change by the year 2050. In a city that may experience warming from climate change, this could exacerbate the risk of vulnerable populations in the community living under heat island conditions.

This Special Issue aims to solicit research related to urban heat islands from local to global perspectives in relation to 1) weather and climate extremes; 2) energy consumption, air quality, human health, and natural resources; 3) adaptation and mitigation strategies; and 4) social equity and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Sen Chiao
Dr. Robert Pasken
Dr. Ricardo Sakai
Dr. Belay Demoz
Guest Editors

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Keywords

urban heat islands
global warming
climate change
weather and climate extremes

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3168 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Local Vegetation and Regional Controls in Near-Surface Air Temperature for Southeastern Brazil

by Rafael Cesario de Abreu, Ricardo Hallak and Humberto Ribeiro da Rocha

Atmosphere 2022, 13(11), 1758; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13111758 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2081

Abstract

The spatial range of near-surface air temperature average and trends for Southeast Brazil in recent decades motivated us to investigate the causality of local vegetation and other geophysical controls at the regional scale to explain the spatial variability of the average maximum and minimum temperature (Tmax and Tmin). We used measurements from 52 weather stations between 1985 and 2010. Using linear regression, NDVI and cloud cover were significant to explain spatial variability of Tmax and Tmin. With the Generalized Additive Model (GAM), we improved temperature-dependent relationships with regional geophysical controls, and local scale NDVI. The modeling of Tmax and Tmin showed non-linear and combined relationships with geographical position (lat,lon) jointly expressing the effects of zonality and continentality, and NDVI at distances of 300 m and 3000 m. For Tmin, geographical position and altitude responded with an amplitude of ≃5 °C each, and NDVI with ≃3 °C. Similarly, the geographical position and altitude were significant for Tmax, with an amplitude of ≃5 °C each, and cloud cover with ≃3.5 °C. Our findings help to clarify the local scale controls of near-surface air temperature and stress the need to increase resilience against adversities of global climate change and increasing urbanization, by providing metrics to predict the effects of nature-based solutions within the urban space. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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23 pages, 8694 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation of Urban Heat Island during a High-Heat Event Using WRF Urban Canopy Models: A Case Study for Metro Manila

by Ronald Gil Joy P. Bilang, Ariel C. Blanco, Justine Ace S. Santos and Lyndon Mark P. Olaguera

Atmosphere 2022, 13(10), 1658; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13101658 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4303

Abstract

This present study aims to determine the performance of using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, coupled with the urban canopy models (UCMs), in simulating the 2 m air temperature and 2 m relative humidity in Metro Manila. The simulation was performed during a high heat event on 22–29 April 2018, which coincided with the dry season in the Philippines. The four urban canopy model options that were used in this study include, the bulk (no urban), SLUCM, BEP, and BEM. The results of the simulations were compared with the hourly observations from three weather stations over Metro Manila from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Integrated Surface Dataset (ISD) and one agrometeorological station in Naic, Cavite. After model validation, the urban heat island (UHI) was then characterized to determine the spatial-temporal variations in the cities of Metro Manila. Statistical results show that the WRF simulation for 2 m air temperature agrees with measurements with an RMSE of <3.0 °C, mean bias error of <2.0 °C, and index of agreement of >0.80. WRF simulation for relative humidity still presents a challenge where simulation errors are higher than the acceptable range. The addition of UCMs does not necessarily improve the simulation for 2 m air temperature, while the use of BEP improved the 2 m relative humidity simulation. The results suggest the importance of using actual urban morphology values in WRF to accurately simulate near-surface variables. On the other hand, WRF simulation shows the presence of urban heat islands, notably in the northwest and central area of Metro Manila during daytime, extending throughout Metro Manila during nighttime. Lower air temperature was consistently observed in areas near Laguna Lake, while higher air temperature due to stagnant winds was observed in the northwest area of Metro Manila. High heat index was also observed throughout Metro Manila from daytime until nighttime, especially in areas near bodies of water like Manila Bay and Laguna Lake due to high humidity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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17 pages, 5381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Microclimate Benefits Due to Cool Pavements and Green Infrastructures on Urban Heat Islands

by Giulia Del Serrone, Paolo Peluso and Laura Moretti

Atmosphere 2022, 13(10), 1586; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13101586 - 28 Sep 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3188

Abstract

Ongoing climate change is manifesting in the expansion of the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This paper evaluates the microclimate benefits of cool pavements and green infrastructures in a historical square in Rome, Italy. The ENVI-Met software enabled us to conduct a microclimatic analysis of the examined square in July 2021, through a comparison of the thermal performances of the current asphalt and sampietrini pavement (AS) with three alternatives. The proposed options are to change the existing layout to include: light concrete slabs and green furniture consisting of 5 m high trees (LC+G1), a perimeter hedge with 5 m high trees (LC+G2), and a perimeter hedge with 15 m high trees (LC+G3). The effects of the road pavements as passive countermeasures to the UHI effect are investigated in terms of air temperature (AT), mean radiant temperature (MRT), and predicted mean vote (PMV). The results show that the existing asphalt pavement is the worst option, while the cool pavement integrated with vegetation is greatly beneficial to human thermal comfort. Compared to the current layout, LC+G3 is the best scenario, because it implies an AT reduction higher than 3 °C, a MRT reduction equal to 50%, and a maximum PMV value equal to 2.2. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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16 pages, 7562 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis and Mapping of Sea Breeze Event Time in Coastal Cities: A Case Study of Sendai

by Shiyi Peng and Hironori Watanabe

Atmosphere 2022, 13(9), 1484; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091484 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2366

Abstract

Due to global warming and urbanization, high-temperature events—which frequently occur in cities—are presenting an increasing threat to the daily lives of human beings. In coastal cities, sea breezes can cool the near surface and improve the urban environment to some extent. Understanding the cooling characteristics of sea breeze on the urban environment is informative for improving and mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect. In this paper, we analyze the basic characteristics of the timing of the cooling effect of sea breeze in urban summer based on the long-term multi-point measurements of air temperatures. Additionally, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to show the influence of sea breeze on cities in terms of the cooling action time. The whole process is reproduced based on a time distribution map created using the results of the WRF simulation. The measured temperature and WRF simulation results are also evaluated with observations. The results show little difference between the two. The analysis of the distribution map shows that the sea breeze gradually penetrates inland from coastal areas. It can therefore be concluded that the sea breeze blows at different speeds in different areas. Our results show that the sea breeze is weak in places near the coast, while it is significantly stronger around inland rivers. Moreover, in urban areas that are far from inland rivers, the speed of the sea breeze is evenly distributed in space. The spatial pattern of sea breeze retreat time and arrival time is reversed: retreats happen earlier in inland areas. The duration of the sea breeze shows a significantly decreasing trend from the coast to inland, with the longest duration at the southern end of the urban area near the coast. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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16 pages, 5555 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of High-Temperature Heat Wave Disasters in Chongqing

by Haijing Huang, Pengyu Jie, Yufei Yang and Shaoying Mi

Atmosphere 2022, 13(9), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091396 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2254

Abstract

In the background of global warming, heat wave disasters have become more frequent globally, and mountainous cities are more seriously affected by heat wave disasters due to the special features of topography and urban morphology. This paper analyzes the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of heat wave disasters in Chongqing, a mountainous city. The results shows that heat wave disasters in Chongqing tend to increase overall and decrease locally before increasing. Significant growth in heat waves since 2010 and time series model prediction analysis shows that Chongqing will face more severe heat waves in the future. The spatial distribution of heat wave disasters varies significantly, high in the middle and low at the ends. There is a tendency for the center of heat wave disasters to shift from the south-central part of Chongqing to the northeast. In addition to the influence of atmospheric circulation and mountain topography, the causes are also positively related to urban development intensity and urbanization trends. It is necessary to develop specific control and management measures for heat waves depending on the characteristics of them. The take-home message of the study is the spatial and temporal trends of heat waves in Chongqing to provide a theoretical basis for high-temperature mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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18 pages, 6356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Planning Method and Strategy of Urban Wind and Heat Environment Optimization—Taking Shenzhen, a Sub-Tropical Megacity in Southern China, as an Example

by Shuo Zhang, Xiaoyi Fang, Chen Cheng, Liuxin Chen, Li Zhang, Ying Yu, Lei Li and Hongyan Luo

Atmosphere 2022, 13(9), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13091395 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2261

Abstract

The planning techniques and strategies for optimizing the urban wind and heat environment are important means for cities to adapt to climate change at the source. This study used Shenzhen, a sub-tropical megacity in southern China, as an example for evaluating the climate environment, heat island intensity, and urban form, and then for analyzing the relationships between them. The results revealed a high-quality climate area located southeast of Shenzhen that can provide a high wind speed and low temperature. Low-quality climate areas were located in the central and western regions and were less comfortable. The relationship between surface ventilation potential and urban form was analyzed using linear regression and the Pearson correlation coefficient, showing that there was a significant correlation between a surface urban heat island (SUHI) and building density (BD) as well as the sky view factor (SVF), and that there was also a correlation between the ventilation potential coefficient (VPC) and other factors, such as the surface’s roughness length (RL) and building height (BH). The results showed that ventilation capacity deteriorated as BH and RL increased. An environmentally sensitive thermal area was identified from the surface urban heat island intensity, which was always in a strong heat island (SHI) or sub-strong heat island (SSHI) year-round. It was recommended that seven level one corridors and nine level two corridors be formed. Additionally, thermal and wind environment optimization strategies and protective suggestions were proposed for the city’s overall development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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20 pages, 7030 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mapping Heat Wave Hazard in Urban Areas: A Novel Multi-Criteria Decision Making Approach

by Javad Shafiei Shiva, David G. Chandler and Kenneth E. Kunkel

Atmosphere 2022, 13(7), 1037; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13071037 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4398

Abstract

Global population is experiencing more frequent, longer, and more severe heat waves due to global warming and urbanization. Episodic heat waves increase mortality and morbidity rates and demands for water and energy. Urban managers typically assess heat wave risk based on heat wave hazard, population exposure, and vulnerability, with a general assumption of spatial uniformity of heat wave hazard. We present a novel analysis that demonstrates an approach to determine the spatial distribution of a set of heat wave properties and hazard. The analysis is based on the Livneh dataset at a 1/16-degree resolution from 1950 to 2009 in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. We then focused on neighborhoods with the most frequent, severe, earlier, and extended periods of heat wave occurrences. On average, the first heat wave occurs 40 days earlier in the eastern part of the county; the northeast part of this region experiences 12 days further extreme hot days and 30 days longer heat wave season than other regions of the area. Then, we applied a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tool (TOPSIS) to evaluate the total hazard posed by heat wave components. We found that the northern and central parts of the metropolitan area are subject to the greatest heat wave hazard and that individual heat wave hazard components did not necessarily indicate heat hazard. This approach is intended to support local government planning for heat wave adaptation and mitigation strategies, where cooling centers, heat emergency water distribution networks, and electrical energy delivery can be targeted based on current and projected local heat wave characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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14 pages, 4668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Greening Areas and Water Bodies on Urban Microclimate in Wuhan—A Simulation Study Considering Prospective Planning

by Qinli Deng, Zeng Zhou, Xiaofang Shan, Chuancheng Li and Daoru Liu

Atmosphere 2022, 13(5), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13050725 - 2 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2129

Abstract

To alleviate the urban heat island effect and reduce the consumption of electricity and expenditure caused by active cooling devices on hot days, many cities in tropical and subtropical areas emphasize the utilization of urban greening areas in current and future urban planning. We utilized the weather research and forecasting model (WRF) to simulate and study the impact of different greening area rates on the urban microclimate in business, residential, and industrial areas in Wuhan city. Meanwhile, we proposed two efficiency coefficients to evaluate the variable cooling benefit of the improvement of the greening area. The results show that greening areas and water bodies are the cooling sources of cities and that industrial areas benefit the most from improvements in the greening rate, with the average temperature declining by 1.06 °C with a 20% increase in the greening rate, while the corresponding values of residential and industrial areas were 0.98 °C and 0.92 °C, respectively. This research provides a reference for the future planning of tropical and subtropical areas to help improve the urban microclimate, thermal environment, and environmental comfort on hot days. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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17 pages, 43031 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Comfort-Based Spatial Planning Model in Jakarta Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)

by Andhy Bato Raya, Hayati Sari Hasibuan and Ahyahudin Sodri

Atmosphere 2022, 13(4), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13040565 - 31 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2663

Abstract

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is integrated spatial planning and transportation that enhances walkability and other green mobility. The issue of thermal comfort in walkability is a major concern in the TOD of cities in tropical climates such as Jakarta. This study aimed to model and compare microclimate conditions and thermal comfort between existing conditions and TOD spatial planning scenarios. The microclimate condition was modeled using ENVI-met, and thermal comfort was analyzed following the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and universal thermal comfort index (UTCI). The results of microclimate modeling showed that the average minimum temperature of the current condition was lower than the TOD at 0.149 °C; meanwhile, the average maximum temperature of the current condition was higher than the TOD at 0.761 °C. Furthermore, the results of the PET and UTCI calculation between the existing land use and the TOD plan scenario showed that both the minimum and maximum PET and UTCI values of the TOD plan scenario throughout the modeling time were lower than the existing conditions. In conclusion, the urban canyon formed by the designed TOD scenario resulted in lower wind speed than the existing condition. However, this factor potentially does not impact the increase in the urban heat island effect in the TOD area since the effect of shading the area by the high-rise building lowers the temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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16 pages, 4773 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Air Urban Heat Island Parameters with High-Precision GPS Data

by Jorge Mendez-Astudillo, Lawrence Lau, Yu-Ting Tang and Terry Moore

Atmosphere 2022, 13(3), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13030417 - 3 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2712

Abstract

The urban heat island (UHI) effect can contribute to extreme heat exposure. This can be detrimental to human health. In this paper, we propose a method to estimate air temperature to evaluate the spatial distribution and to monitor the intensity of the air urban heat island (AUHI) from existing GPS infrastructure. The proposed algorithm is based on the relationship between the refractivity of the troposphere and environmental variables, as well as the relationships between the zenith tropospheric delay (ZTD), a by-product of the precise point positioning technique, and the refractivity of the troposphere. The advantage of GPS data is its high temporal resolution and the availability of embedded GPS receivers. In this paper, GPS-derived ZTD data from stations in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China and Tokyo in Japan are processed to estimate the hourly AUHI intensity. The results derived from this technique are validated using meteorological data in the same cities. Mean absolute error values of 0.79 °C in Hong Kong and 0.22 °C in Tokyo are found from data from the summer. Moreover, an overall accuracy of 0.51 °C is found. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands and Global Warming)

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