Measurement & evidence
How do we measure urban climate?
Urban climate can be observed at several spatial and temporal scales. This section explains the methods behind the evidence presented in the articles.
Land Surface Temperature
Satellite-derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) measures the thermal state of the Earth’s surface. It is not the same as air temperature.
Air Temperature
Meteorological observations measure atmospheric conditions close to the surface and are essential for understanding human thermal exposure.
Urban Heat Island
The Urban Heat Island describes the temperature difference between urban environments and their less urbanized surroundings. Different definitions and measurement approaches can produce different estimates.
Remote Sensing
Key sources include Landsat, Sentinel-2, MODIS and ECOSTRESS.
Google Earth Engine
Google Earth Engine allows large satellite archives to be processed consistently across long time periods and large geographic areas.
Urban Morphology
Urban form can influence solar exposure, shading, ventilation, heat storage, surface properties and vegetation availability.
Stability and Comparability
Long-term comparisons are only meaningful when the areas being compared remain sufficiently stable. Changes in land cover or morphology can otherwise be mistaken for climatic change.