137 Mitigating Risk and Increasing Resilience Visitors to the city’s hub site can see how temperatures vary across geographic areas that differ in population size, building density, wealth, ethnicity, and other characteristics. “We want be able to identify which of the census tracts have people who are over 65 and who live alone because, historically and statistically, those are the folks who are at the highest risk during heat waves,” Terry-Cobo said. Using GIS tools, other data layers can be added to maps to identify patterns and correlations. The city’s hub site presents GIS maps that visitors can interact with if they want to learn more about a specific neighborhood. “We can learn only so much from static reports. With GIS tools like these, we can keep digging. We can keep adding on data layers and trying to understand the different facets of extreme heat and urban heat islands. Also, it’s huge for us to be able to see the change over time.” — Sarah Terry-Cobo, associate planner, Office of Sustainability, Oklahoma City Planning Department Local agencies and partners can use the maps to pinpoint hot spots as they make plans for adapting to rising temperatures and concentrations of air pollution. For example, building resilience to extreme heat might include determining strategic locations for planting trees, opening cooling centers, and delivering services to residents who have a greater risk of succumbing to heat-related illness or death. Recognizing Hot Spots of Public Health Risk In Oklahoma City, spatial analysis with GIS technology showed that urban heat islands exist in the expected places—in low income communities and the downtown area. Both have more concrete and asphalt surfaces and fewer green or shady spaces. As early as 6 a.m., the downtown area saw temperatures at or near 88.5 degrees in August 2023. The heat index was “well over 100 degrees,” Terry-Cobo said. Those temperatures downtown were almost 15 degrees hotter than some other parts of the city. The study also showed that Oklahoma City’s growing, affluent northwestern quadrant has taken on more of the The Heat Watch Oklahoma City map-based app allows residents to see current conditions. The northwestern quadrant of the city is experiencing the urban heat island effect.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA2NTE0Mw==