Chapter 14 THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT Goals: To quantify the urban heat island effect during both the daytime and during the night, for both winter and summer, for several cities, using daily and monthly mean temperatures.

Data:

1. Daily maximum (high) and daily minimum (low) temperatures for December, January and February (representing winter) and June, July and August (representing summer) for two years for downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA, and the nearby, less urban Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport:
   • December 1995, January 1996, February 1996
   • December 1996, January 1997, February 1997
   • June 1996, July 1996, August 1996
   • June 1997, July 1997, August 1997

2. Monthly mean minimum temperatures and mean annual minimum temperatures for the period 1900-1994 for downtown Baltimore, MD, and for Woodstock, MD, a nearby, more rural observing site:
   • Downtown Baltimore, MD
   • Woodstock, MD

Procedure:

1. For each downtown-rural pair, use the available data to estimate the magnitude of the urban heat island effect in winter during the daytime. Then do the same for nighttime.

2. For each downtown-rural pair, use the available data to estimate the magnitude of the urban heat island effect in summer during the daytime. Then do the same for nighttime.

3. For these locations, is the urban heat island effect greater during the day or at night? Is the urban heat island effect greater during winter or summer?

4. Consider this figure, which is similar to Figure 14.24 in the text. Based on various geographical features, can you identify the part of the country that is being viewed? What geographical features can you identify? What cities can you identify?