Urbanization and human-caused climate changes have led to increases in heat events around the world. For example, in July 2012, an extreme heat wave hit the Chicago area, causing temperatures to skyrocket to 40°C (104°F) and above. Chicago, like most cities, is affected by urban heat islands (UHIs), which occur when changes in land cover create spaces that are warmer than their surrounding area. Satellite measurements can be used to inform models to characterize the intensity of UHIs, yet satellite techniques have some limitations—expensive sensors and low temporal resolution, among other drawbacks. But quantifying the intensity of UHIs could help public health officials and city planners learn to mitigate the impacts of future heat waves.
disaster preparedness
Posted inNews
Supercell Thunderstorms Shake Up the Stratosphere
Supercell storm tops may act like mountains that obstruct winds, transforming their flow into violent turbulence that mixes near-surface air with the stratosphere above.
Posted inENGAGE, News
The Understudied Risks of Low-Magnitude Eruptions
Volcanologists have historically focused on the risks of large-scale eruptions, but new research highlights how small eruptions can combine with human-made vulnerabilities to cause catastrophic impacts.
Posted inScience Updates
Satellites Support Disaster Response to Storm-Driven Landslides
Extreme precipitation can trigger deadly landslides. Satellite-based tools provide regional perspectives on landslide hazards, help assess risks in near-real time, and guide emergency responses.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Good, Soon, and Cheap – Earthquake Early Warning by Smartphone
Fixed smartphone networks can provide robust early warning of earthquakes at far lower costs than traditional scientific arrays, which is an important consideration for regions with limited resources.
Posted inNews
Indian Cities Prepare for Floods with Predictive Technology
The number and intensity of floods are increasing—they can inundate neighborhoods in Chennai in just 15 minutes. New models can pinpoint and help warn vulnerable areas hours or even days in advance.
Posted inFeatures
Nepal’s Communities Brace for Multihazard Risks
From its high mountains to its low plains, Nepal faces growing risks from natural hazards. Preparing for these risks requires accurate, locally relevant risk assessments and effective communications.
Posted inNews
Forecasters Navigate a Highway to Success Around Lake Victoria
An early-warning system establishes international networks to help communities manage severe weather on Africa’s largest lake.
Posted inFeatures
Fire as Medicine: Learning from Native American Fire Stewardship
For centuries, Indigenous peoples have worked to live in harmony with fire. Can integrating such cultural practices into contemporary wildfire management help prevent catastrophic wildfires?
Posted inOpinions
Building Resilience in Rural America
People in rural communities are often hit disproportionately hard by natural hazards, largely because of in-equitable and inflexible risk reduction policies. But there are ways to change that.