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June 2, 2025

Heat watch study reveals local hot spots and climate vulnerabilities across 10 cities

Researchers from 12 colleges and universities across the state coordinated over 200 community volunteers to collect more than 490,000 temperature readings during a single high-heat day. Credit: UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
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Researchers from 12 colleges and universities across the state coordinated over 200 community volunteers to collect more than 490,000 temperature readings during a single high-heat day. Credit: UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND

A new study, recently published in , highlights how extreme heat affects neighborhoods across Virginia, revealing stark disparities in temperature exposure linked to race, income, and tree cover.

The Virginia Heat Watch initiative is the largest study of its kind in the Commonwealth. The research team included researchers from 12 colleges and universities across the state, who coordinated over 200 community volunteers to collect more than 490,000 temperature readings during a single high-heat day in July 2021. The new publication, led by Todd Lookingbill, professor of geography, environment, & sustainability at the University of Richmond, includes high-resolution maps of heat exposure in 10 small- to mid-sized cities, from Virginia Beach to Abingdon.

The data revealed differences within cities of up to 8.3°C (15°F), with the hottest areas often located in neighborhoods with the following conditions:

The study's key findings include:

"Urban heat is not just a big- problem," said Lookingbill. "Our research shows that disparities exist even in smaller communities, and they disproportionately affect Virginia's most vulnerable residents."

The project's community-based approach engaged students, residents, and local governments, generating actionable data that has already led to new greening and cooling strategies in several cities.

"This is climate science in action," said study co-author Karin Warren of Randolph College in Lynchburg. "We're not only identifying where the need is greatest but also helping to build the capacity for communities to respond."

More information: Todd R. Lookingbill et al, Virginia Heat Watch: Collaboration to assess climate vulnerability at local to regional scales, Urban Climate (2024).

Provided by University of Richmond

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Temperature differences of up to 8.3°C were observed within Virginia cities, with hotter areas typically found in neighborhoods with less tree cover, more impervious surfaces, and higher proportions of historically marginalized residents. A 10% increase in tree cover corresponded to a 0.28°C temperature decrease. Heat exposure often overlapped with other environmental and social vulnerabilities.

This summary was automatically generated using LLM.