Spring only just started, but summer is right around the corner. The bugs will soon return with vigor, and we’ll probably wonder how there was ever a time when we felt cold outside. Arkansas summers are hot and humid, and in Little Rock, the significant amount of pavement sends temperatures to the top of the thermometer.
With hopes of finding out just how hot it gets on Little Rock’s streets, the city’s sustainability office in August 2023 led groups of volunteer scientists equipped with sensors to collect temperature and humidity levels within 121 square miles. As expected, it was hot.
The study was conducted in part with CAPA Strategies. CAPA stands for Climate Adaptation Planning and Analytics, and dozens of heat island studies are being conducted in cities across the country. Little Rock was one of 18 cities to participate in the research in August.
The data collected showed that throughout the day, and into the night, Little Rock’s temperatures stay pretty high. Temperatures topped out in the morning at about 77 degrees and reached 102 around 3 p.m. By 8 p.m., the temperature had dropped a bit to 96 degrees.
Areas with more tree cover stayed cooler than those without. During the hottest part of the study, the temperature difference spanned nearly 10 degrees.
This information confirms what we already thought: Summers in the South are rough.
Next, the data will be used for a heat action plan that can be used to decide where the city should open cooling centers in the summer.
Exposure to extreme heat is dangerous, leading to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, sunburns and more. The report from CAPA explains that high temperatures also negatively effect energy and transportation infrastructure.
This not very scientific but highly realistic summer forecast from KARK Meteorologist Todd Yakoubian seems like enough of a warning sign for the summer ahead.
Put a lot of work into this. Preliminary look at the summer forecast. #ARWX pic.twitter.com/A9VmUqRIIC
— Todd Yakoubian (@ToddYakoubian) April 11, 2024