By Melissa Montalvo, The Fresno Bee, July 21, 2021
Fresno has one of the most intense urban heat islands in the country, according to a new report by the nonprofit news organization Climate Central. Fresno stands with other California cities such as San Francisco, Sacramento, and Salinas on a list of the top 20 urban heat islands in the United States.
Generally, urban heat islands calculate the temperature difference between a city and its surrounding areas. However, temperatures can vary widely within a city depending on the prevalence of green space, parks, and other factors, creating smaller, intra-urban heat islands.
According to the report, the main contributors to Fresno’s urban heat island are “impermeable surfaces” of the city’s topography. Surfaces likeasphalt and concrete, which don’t allow water to penetrate, are examples of impermeable surfaces that worsen urban heat islands. Stretches of hard, dark surfaces absorb heat and then radiate it back into the community.
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