Montgomery County, Maryland, is one of 14 communities nationwide chosen to participate in a program that tracks its hottest neighborhoods.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Wednesday that it has selected Montgomery County for its 鈥淯rban Heat Mapping Campaign鈥� this summer.
At least 13 other communities across the country were also selected.
Here鈥檚 how it works.
Montgomery County selects a small group of volunteers 鈥� or street scientists 鈥� who will mount heat sensors to their vehicles and drive around on the hottest days, typically in early August.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e on the ground, and they鈥檙e collecting the data,鈥� said Laura Sivels with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to us that residents are able to participate in the mapping of their neighborhoods.鈥�
The sensors will record temperatures, humidity, time and location, she said.
County scientists will use the data to pinpoint 鈥淯rban Heat Islands.鈥� They are areas that can be up to 20 degrees hotter than nearby neighborhoods, NOAA said.
Previous data revealed that low-income, homeless and communities of color struggle with heat equity because their neighborhoods have fewer trees and more paved surfaces, such as parking lots, said Sivels.
鈥淲hat this mapping will show us, as the heat cools and turns into night, the natural environment helps cool down the area,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut in these Urban Heat Islands, it鈥檚 still dangerously hot. 鈥�
And that heat can trigger life-threatening illnesses, including heat exhaustion, heatstroke and hyperthermia for people in those areas.
鈥淓xtreme heat kills more Americans than any other weather event, but not everyone鈥檚 risk is the same,鈥� Sivels said.
County lawmakers will also use the information to create heat action plans, such as more cooling centers in the neighborhoods that need them the most, Sivels said.
The mapping will cover some 200 square miles in the county, and target well-populated neighborhoods including Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville, Silver Spring and Wheaton.
