New dataset reveals urban heat health risks
Researchers at NSF NCAR, Emory University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a high-resolution urban meteorology dataset called HUMID-Atlanta. This dataset focuses on the Atlanta metropolitan region and aims to provide city governments and health officials with critical information to minimize heat impacts on urban residents. By incorporating detailed urban characteristics such as building height and density, the dataset captures how wind and shade influence heat stress. The enhanced dataset, which analyzed data from 2010 to 2023, is publicly available and is already being used to study the impacts of heat waves on human health, including acute kidney injury (AKI). The research team plans to expand the dataset to other cities, the entire U.S., and potentially globally, with the goal of improving heat-health research and interventions.
