Do cities get warmer than rural areas?

Is there really that much of a difference in temperature if you live in the city, countryside or coast?

If you live out in the open countryside and pay the occasional visit to a city, you may think conditions are warmer than back home. Some say that the microclimate of cities can present warmer temperatures, is it true?

Put simply, yes. Urban areas with a greater number of taller buildings have been proven to produce warmer temperatures than more rural towns.

There are a number of reasons for this, but one of the most significant are the buildings themselves.

Buildings release heat from artificial sources and also reflect solar radiation onto the streets, raising the temperature. Research has shown that the City of London can be over five degrees warmer than suburban Greater London.

Roads, pavements, and buildings also absorb heat during the day which is released at night. The concrete and tarmac used don’t hold much water, meaning there is little to evaporate and therefore more heat energy hangs in the air.

Finally, cities produce more pollution and air pollution can trap heat within the city creating a heat box, exacerbating the impact of heatwaves.

Additionally, the temperature can also be influenced by coastal areas. In the spring and summer, as land heats up and cools down quicker than the sea, it is often cooler by the coast due to the onshore breeze.

In the autumn and winter, however, the sea will have retained more heat than the land, so an onshore breeze will keep coastal areas warmer than inland areas.