Australian cities to warm by 3.7-degrees by 2050 due to ‘urban heat island’ effect, not global warming

The International Business Times reports:

Some areas of Australia’s cities will be up to 3.7 degrees hotter by 2050 due to the growth of urbanisation according to new research data

Australia will experience the “urban heat island effect” in which temperatures will rise in built-up areas with more asphalt and concrete. Researchers from the University of NSW say the rising temperatures will enhance the effects of climate change.

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4 thoughts on “Australian cities to warm by 3.7-degrees by 2050 due to ‘urban heat island’ effect, not global warming”

  1. UHI may not affect the average daily highs, but in extreme conditions such as heatwaves (which may occur more frequently in the future), the city is going to be much warmer than the rural counterpart because a) there is less latent heat flux (evaporation of water) due to impervious surfaces and low vegetation leading to higher sensible heat (surface air temperature), b) the surfaces absorb more heat due to low albedo, leading to increased surface temperature and c) anthropogenic heat sources persist and may even increase (i.e. air conditioning exhaust). These factors can increase the heat stress on vulnerable people in the city leading to higher death rate of vulnerable population in cities than the country.

  2. Based on my understanding, UHI only affects the LOW temps, not the daily HIGHS. The result is that since the average is of the day’s high and low, raising the low has an impact on average daily temp. If we speak of highs alone, UHI has no effect. “Global Warming” should be seen as increased high temps and low temps. And if we use average daily temps, we have to be careful to understand what exactly is being averaged and how. Then add in the mess with the station placement issues and you’ve got a very confusing can of worms for most persons since all they hear is “the earth is warming”……as with most things scientific, the reality is ‘it depends’.

  3. Enhance the effects of climate change? Urban Heat Island Effect is most of what we call climate change.

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