Extreme Heat
State AGs Call for FEMA to Classify Extreme Heat, Smoke as ‘Major Disasters’
State and local officials say explicitly naming heat and wildfire smoke would give local agencies more certainty in developing their mitigation strategies.
Thousands of NYC Shelter Residents Lack Air Conditioning
Even in the depths of extreme heat, many shelters prohibit residents from installing AC units.
Deadly Contact Burns Rising in the Southwest
As heat waves become more frequent and severe, hospitals are seeing more patients admitted with serious, sometimes life-threatening burns from asphalt and other outdoor surfaces.
Chicago Tenants’ Union Distributes AC Units to Low-Income Renters
The group wants to draw attention to the dangers of extreme heat and encourage tenants to organize to demand improved conditions.
Using AI to Model Climate Impacts
A German research team used AI to understand how thermal stress will impact urban infrastructure down to the street level.
Federal and State Responses to Extreme Heat
Governments are mobilizing resources to address the impacts of longer and more intense heat waves on public health and infrastructure.
Phoenix Nonprofit Offers Medical Services to Unhoused Residents
The mobile medical units are administering IV fluids and treating heat-related illnesses as extreme heat blankets the Southwest.
Portland Train Speed Limited by Extreme Heat
When temperatures hit 100 degrees, the city’s two train systems face challenges that force them to slow their speeds or stop operations altogether.
LA Begins Adding New Bus Shelters
The program, years in the works, pledges to add 3,000 new bus shelters and 450 shade structures to protect riders from extreme heat and weather.
California Faces Intense Heat Wave, Power Shutoffs
The state is bracing for a heat dome that will bring temperatures into the 120s and little nighttime relief.
The Heat Is On: Rising Temperatures Strain Urban Infrastructure
This summer is predicted to be one of the hottest on record, and heat waves will likely put physical and social infrastructure to the test.
Extreme Heat’s Far-Reaching Impacts
Heat is associated with worsened mental health, poorer test scores, and even higher car crash rates.
Beating the Heat: Expanding Access to Swimming Pools
The swim season for Los Angles County public pools has been extended, with swim facilities open for five months to provide relief from the hot weather.
California Faces Early Surge in Wildfires
Summer is just beginning, but wildfires in California have already burned more than 90,000 acres.
City Parks as Cooling Centers
Strategies for making parks cool, inviting community cooling centers during extreme heat.
Cooling Costs to Hit 10-Year High This Summer
Longer, more intense heat waves are driving up cooling costs and putting low-income households at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.
Phoenix Heat Deaths Rose by 1,000 Percent in 10 Years
The last decade saw a lethal combination of higher temperatures, rapid population growth, and rising eviction rates.
Cool Pavements Show Promise as Part of Urban Climate Resilience Strategy
Results from a pilot project in Los Angeles show that cool pavement treatments can serve as a key tool in a city’s climate resilience strategy.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
Report: 25 Percent of Americans Live With Poor Air Quality
Fires and extreme heat are generating more harmful particulate matter.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
