Publications

Dezso, Z; Pongr?cz, R; Bartholy, J (2024). Surface urban heat island in Budapest during heat waves and droughts - comparing the summers of 2003, 2007 and 2022. URBAN CLIMATE, 55, 101899.

Abstract
Because of climate change, heat waves (HWs) and droughts are projected to become more frequent, more intense and more persistent. A detailed analysis of the complex processes is needed to understand the relationship between the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon and HWs. In this study, we investigated how HWs affect the surface UHI (SUHI) in Budapest. We used 22 -year -long time series of MODIS measurements to investigate the SUHI patterns, surface temperature and humidity in detail. A significant warming trend was detected in both the morning and afternoon surface temperature data series over the past decades, with a warming rate of 0.8 -2.2 degrees C/decade. Moreover, as the rural surroundings of the urban area become warmer in summer, the SUHI intensity weakens, especially in July and August, which is related to the less moisture available in the rural area and hence becoming unable to reduce the surface temperature, similarly to the urban area. In the years with frequent HWs and droughts, SUHI does not develop since both the urban and rural areas are characterised by extremely high land surface temperature. This phenomenon is investigated and compared in detail for the years 2003, 2007 and 2022 when intense HWs occurred in the region.

DOI:
10.1016/j.uclim.2024.101899

ISSN: