Where are Baltimore's hottest spots? Researchers crisscross city streets to map urban 'heat islands' (Baltimore Sun)
Thursday Aug 30th, 2018
Temperatures in Baltimore officially peaked at 98 degrees Wednesday. But some city blocks might have baked at temperatures as much as 10 to 15 degrees higher.
In the high heat of the afternoon, a team of researchers and volunteers crisscrossed the city in cars equipped with temperature sensors to find out just how hot it gets, and where.
The data are being used to create a detailed map of the pockets of Baltimore where an abundance of blacktop and a lack of tree cover create what are known as urban heat islands.
Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore’s health commissioner, said the data could be very helpful in Baltimore. She said she expects to see that heat has the most severe impacts in city neighborhoods already distressed by sudden infant deaths, lack of access to healthy food, and high rates of cancer and heart disease.