RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Estimation of urban heat island intensity and trends in Spanish cities
A1 García Pérez, María Ángeles
A1 Pérez Bartolomé, Isidro Alberto
K1 Física aplicada
K1 Climatología
K1 Urbanismo
K1 Contaminación atmosférica - España
K1 Ciencias de la tierra
K1 Cambio climático
K1 Cambio climático
K1 Prueba de Mann-Kendall
K1 Temperatura mínima
K1 Tendencia
K1 Patrones sinópticos
K1 Isla de calor urbana
K1 2501 Ciencias de la Atmósfera
K1 2507 Geofísica
AB Studying urban heat islands (UHIs) in Southern Europe is crucial, as they amplify heat risks under climate change. UHIs and their temporal variability at seven urban–rural pair locations in Spain were analysed from 1970 to 2023. The UHI was defined as the air temperature difference between each urban site and its neighbouring rural sites, and trends were analysed using the non-parametric Mann–Kendall test with Sen’s slope estimator. Based on daily minimum air temperature data, results indicated a mean UHI intensity ranging from −0.15 °C in Alicante to 2.28 °C in A Coruña. The UHI annual trend was significant, increasing in Valladolid (0.023 °C/year) and Alicante (0.009 °C/year) and decreasing in Santander (-0.015 °C/year). Seasonal analysis showed statistically significant trends in Valladolid, particularly in spring and summer (0.029 °C/year). In Alicante, an increase of around 0.012 °C/year was observed in spring and summer, while Madrid showed a trend of 0.012 °C/year in winter. However, a warming effect at the rural site was identified in Barcelona (−0.028 ºC/year in autumn) and in Santander −0.025 °C/year in spring and summer), corresponding to negative UHI trends. The influence of synoptic patterns on UHI yielded values between 3 and 4 °C in A Coruña and Madrid for anticyclonic southeasterly, anticyclonic southerly, and southeasterly air flows. Lower intensities were found in Barcelona (2.5 °C) and were associated with hybrid anticyclonic westerly flows. UHI intensities below 2 °C were obtained at the other locations, with the lowest values being linked to hybrid cyclonic westerly and cyclonic north-westerly flows.
PB Springer Nature
SN 1436-3240
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/83721
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/83721
LA eng
NO Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment, 2026, vol. 40, n. 4, artículo 75.
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 22-mar-2026