Photograph by Ann Bender, Flickr

Introduction

The phenomenon of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) has become a critical issue in urban environments across the globe. UHIs are characterized by significantly higher temperatures within urban areas compared to their surrounding rural areas, primarily due to human activities, urbanization, and modifications to the land surface. This data will help aid Madison, NJ in critical decision making towards mitigation efforts to reduce extreme temperatures in communities at risk through employing methods such as green and blue infrastructure, as well as the location of cooling centers

Data

The data provided represents land surface temperature (in Fahrenheit) at 100 sq ft resolution for the state of NJ for the Summer of 2022. The map displayed here presents the most recent estimates, generated by the NJDEPBGIS, on the percent of land area that receives the most concentrated heat.

Results

In Madison, there is a significant amount of extreme heat islands, represented by the red shaded areas of the boundary. The majority of the area is covered by light green and yellow shading, marking that the temperature generally gets to about 92-107, which can be very detrimental, especially on top of humidity. Nationally, land-surface temperatures in formerly redlined areas are approximately 2.6 degrees Celsius warmer than in non-redlined areas, according to NJ Spotlight News. 

Conclusion

The study of Urban Heat Islands and Land Surface Temperature in NJ revealed the complex interplay of various factors influencing UHI formation. High population density, land use patterns. and local topography were identified as significant contributors to UHI intensity. Moreover, the results emphasize the importance of vegetation cover and green spaces in mitigating the UHI effect in urban areas. Understanding these patterns and relationships is crucial for urban planners, policymakers, and environmentalists to develop effective strategies for hear mitigation, climate adaptation, and sustainable urban development.

Figure 1: Madison Urban Heat Islands and Land Surface Temperatures in NJ (red being the hottest area, scaling down to blue being the coolest area)

About the Data

The data used in this project were collected from various reliable sources, including satellite imagery, government agencies, and research institutions. Remote sensing data, land use/land cover data, meteorological data, population density data, vegetation data, and topographic data were integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) to perform spatial analyses and generate valuable insights into UHIs and LST in New Jersey. The dataset can be found online here.