Over half of D.C. students go to school in extreme heat zones
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Over half of D.C. students go to school in an extreme urban heat zone, per a new analysis.
Why it matters: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during heat waves like the one this week.
- Sometimes schools lack adequate air conditioning, jeopardizing students' health and learning abilities in periods of extreme heat while class is in session.
Driving the news: About 76% of public K-12 students in the 65 most populous U.S. cities attend schools where the heat island effect increases temperatures by at least 8°F, per a new analysis from Climate Central, a climate research group.
- The share is 54% in D.C., which is better than most cities, or nearly 49,500 students.
- Boston (36%), Providence, Rhode Island (42%) and Richmond, Virginia (49%) have the smallest shares.
How it works: Heat islands amplify the impact and danger of extreme heat events fueled by human-driven climate change, with the built environment absorbing and trapping heat at the hyperlocal level.
- Urban heat islands are more common in lower-income and non-white neighborhoods, researchers have found.
What we're watching: Cities are increasingly aware of heat islands, and some are taking steps to alleviate it — by planting trees and using reflective road paint, for example — albeit with mixed results.