A city-wide effort in the summer of 2024 has produced detailed maps identifying areas in Dallas most vulnerable to extreme heat events. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) mapping campaign, involving 100 volunteers, collected over 152,000 temperature and humidity measurements to pinpoint these high-risk zones.
Volunteers equipped their vehicles with sensors and gathered data at three different times of the day. The study, with a maximum temperature difference of 12 degrees Fahrenheit and a peak recorded temperature of 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit, focused on understanding urban heat islands – areas with less vegetation and more heat-absorbing pavement that can be significantly hotter than greener neighborhoods.
Data analysis focused on information collected on August 10, 2024, when volunteers drove 21 routes covering 241.8 square miles. This effort, combined with previous data, completes UHI mapping for approximately 350 square miles of Dallas.
The study's objectives were to identify historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, often with less greenspace and greater health vulnerabilities, that face a higher risk of heat-related illnesses. The high-resolution maps of air temperature and heat index will help the city better understand and address the dangers of extreme heat.
The analysis identified the following areas as experiencing the highest temperatures:
- D1, D4 Oak Cliff
- Bishop Arts; South Oak Cliff/South Dallas; Glendale Park and Wynnewood Heights
- D2 Love Field West Residential
- D2 Medical District
- D5 Pleasant Wood
- D6 West Dallas
- Ledbetter gardens; Westmoreland Heights; Fredrick Douglas and Brookhollow PID
- D6 Gribble
- D7 Claremont Addition
- D11 Preston Hills
- D12 North Dallas
- Old Mill Court; Near Timberglen Park and Highlands
- D14 Oak Lawn
- D14 Harwood
- D14 Downtown
The full report is available on dallasclimateaction.com or greendallas.net.
