Get ready, Houston! On Saturday, August 10, 2024, the Bayou City will take center stage in the fight against extreme urban heat as the nation’s largest single-day heat mapping campaign kicks off right here in our own backyard. In a city where summer temperatures are often brutal, this initiative aims to shine a light—quite literally—on the area’s most vulnerable to the searing heat.

What’s Happening?

Imagine over 100 dedicated community volunteers, transformed into citizen scientists, cruising along the bustling streets of Houston and Harris County. Equipped with high-tech thermal sensors mounted on their vehicles, these volunteers will traverse pre-determined routes at three crucial times of the day: dawn, mid-afternoon, and dusk. The goal? To gather comprehensive data on ambient temperatures and humidity levels across the region’s diverse neighborhoods. Covering a whopping 1,261 miles, this campaign is not just the largest in Texas, but the entire United States.

 

 

The Heart Behind the Heat:

Spearheading this ambitious endeavor is the Houston Harris Heat Action Team (H3AT), a formidable coalition of local and national organizations. Led by the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), this team includes the City of Houston, Harris County Office of County Administration, Harris County Public Health, Harris County Precinct 4, the Student Conservation Association, and the National Weather Service. Together, they are on a mission to combat the urban heat island effect—a phenomenon where densely built urban areas become significantly warmer than their rural surroundings due to human activities.

Why It Matters:

Houston, with its sprawling urban landscape, is particularly susceptible to this effect. The campaign is not just about recording temperatures; it's about understanding the disparities in heat exposure among different communities. Many of Houston’s underserved areas are hit hardest by extreme heat, exacerbating existing inequalities. By pinpointing these hotspots, the campaign will guide targeted interventions to cool down the city’s most affected neighborhoods, ultimately protecting the health and well-being of over two million residents.

  

Where It’s Happening:

Volunteers will be on the move across nine strategic areas in Houston and Harris County, ensuring that every corner of this vast region is covered:

• Tomball, Greenspoint, near IAH (Area A)
• Aldine, Magnolia Gardens, Eastex-Jensen, Northside (Area B)
• West University, Hunters Creek, Spring Branch North (Area C)
• Downtown, Fifth Ward, Settegast, East Houston (Area D)
• Jacinto City, Channelview, McNair (Area E)
• Pasadena, South Houston, League City (Area F)
• Sunnyside, Southeast Houston, Hobby (Area G)
• Meyerland, Fort Bend, Fondren Park (Area H)
• Sharpstown, Alief, Mission Bend (Area J)

Expert Voices:

This campaign is backed by some of the brightest minds in climate science and public health. From HARC’s own Dr. Stephanie Piper, who leads the project, to local leaders like Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones, these experts are ready to share their insights on the significance of this work. Expect to hear about the latest in urban heat solutions, the impact of rising temperatures on public health, and how initiatives like these play a pivotal role in achieving climate equity.

Get Involved!

Houston Style Magazine readers, for those curious about the campaign’s progress, updates will be available in real-time. Follow the action, learn more about the science behind the campaign, and discover how you can help cool our city by visiting www.h3at.org.

As Houston gears up for this unprecedented effort, the community’s involvement is more crucial than ever. Houston Style Magazine readers let’s turn up the heat on climate action and ensure that Houston remains a vibrant, resilient, and equitable city for all.