Beyond the thermometer: A guide to understanding heat in urban areas
Every summer, heat enters the news through a number: a city records 40°C, a temperature record is broken, or a heatwave warning is issued. These numbers are important, but they tell only one part of the story. A city can record an air temperature of 35°C while the surface of a nearby road is considerably hotter. Two people exposed to the same air temperature can experience very different levels of heat stress depending on whether they are standing in the sun or under a tree, working...