Urban heat island hotspots in Salt Lake City are displayed via new analysis

Salt Lake City, Utah – Residents in Salt Lake City on both sides of State Street reside in hotspots, where it can feel nine degrees hotter or more on hot summer days, according to a recent study of the urban heat island effect.

A charity dedicated to climate science, Climate Central, published its results earlier this month after mapping the areas of 65 major American cities where the urban heat island effect is most pronounced.

The methodology calculated the excess heat produced in an urban area using census block data, taking into account the number of buildings and roads, the percentage of green space, and the population density. The wider-than-usual streets in Salt Lake were also taken into account.

According to the data, 26,000 people, or nearly 13% of the entire population of Salt Lake, reside in places where the urban heat island effect can make it seem nine degrees hotter or more than it would in a less populated part of the territory.

There were hotspots all throughout Salt Lake. Some of the hottest areas were even parts of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the city, like Sugar House and the Avenues. The suburbs of Salt Lake City were disregarded.

The analysis confirms the findings of a recent local heat mapping study, which shows that neighborhoods on the historically redlined west side are hotter than neighborhoods east of State Street.

The chart revealed that whereas hotspots in eastern communities are more confined and encircled by cooler areas close to parks and greenery, hotspots in west side neighborhoods, like Glendale, are consistently heated.

The neighborhoods of Capitol Hill, Sunnyside East, Highland Park, and the area surrounding Salt Lake City International Airport are home to the analysis’s coolest areas.

Officials from Salt Lake City previously told ABC4 that they are attempting to improve the west side of the city with additional parks and trees. By reducing the urban heat island effect, such green infrastructure helps to naturally cool workers’ and residents’ spaces.

The majority of the citizens of the 65 cities under investigation, or 33.8 million people nationwide, living in areas with “average or above-average urban heat intensity,” according to a Climate Central report.

According to the group, since heat waves are becoming more common and excessive heat is the main factor contributing to weather-related deaths in the US, it is critical to comprehend the urban heat island effect.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that excessive heat claims the lives of 1,200 Americans annually on average.