It's hot out there

Is it time to rethink the urbanization craze?  Maybe suburbanites know something city dwellers don't - if left alone, the suburbs are a cool place to live!  

Las Vegas 

Which U.S. cities have the worst urban heat islands?
USA Today, August 21, 2014  By Doyle Rice

Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Denver lead the list of U.S. cities with the most intense urban heat islands, according to a report released this week by research organization Climate Central, which is based in Princeton, N.J. 

"Urban heat islands have hotter days, far hotter nights, and more extremely hot days each summer than adjacent rural areas," said Alyson Kenward, lead author of the report and senior scientist with Climate Central.

Hotter summer temperatures have been correlated with higher ozone pollution, and the hottest days of the year often had ozone levels exceed the safe standard established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Additionally, independent studies have found that urban heat islands don't bias global warming measurements, ruling out the possibility that rising global temperatures have been caused by urbanization alone.

Based on data from 2004-13, the top 10 U.S. cities with the most intense urban heat islands -- measured as the greatest difference in average temperatures between urban and rural areas over the entire summer -- were:

Las Vegas (7.3°F)  Albuquerque (5.9°F) 

Denver (4.9°F)  

Portland (4.8°F) 

Louisville (4.8°F)  Washington, D.C. (4.7°F)  Kansas City (4.6°F)  Columbus (4.4°F)  Minneapolis (4.3°F)  

Seattle (4.1°F)F)  F)