Understanding the nuances of urban weather, and in particular the heat island effect, which makes built-up areas hotter than their surroundings, requires detailed local information. But some areas lack local weather stations, so Brookhaven National Laboratory in the US is sending mobile weather vans to trailer parks in Arizona to measure the microclimate conditions precisely.
Communities of these manufactured homes are typically low-income, and poor insulation and other issues make their inhabitants especially susceptible to the health effects of heat. Last year there were 987 heat-related deaths in Arizona, a record high. But as there are less likely to be local weather stations in poorer neighbourhoods, there may be “data deserts” in the areas most at risk.
