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Cities create their own distinctive climates. The concentration of buildings, vehicles, people, and economic activity in urban areas modifies temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and air quality compared to surrounding rural areas. Understanding urban climate is essential for addressing issues of comfort, health, energy use, and environmental sustainability.
Key Definition: The urban heat island (UHI) is the phenomenon whereby urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas, particularly at night. The temperature difference can exceed 10°C under certain conditions.
The urban heat island was first identified by Luke Howard (1818) in his study of London's climate. Howard observed that London was consistently warmer than the surrounding countryside — a finding that has been confirmed and elaborated by researchers for over two centuries.
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