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WATCH: Why It's Usually Hotter In A City

In the summer, the temperature in New York City is about 7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than in its surrounding areas, according to NASA. That is not unusual. Cities are often warmer than their suburbs because of a phenomenon called "the heat island effect." The way a city is designed — the building materials used, the way streets are arranged, the lack of canopy — can actually sequester heat.

More than half of the world's population (and growing) live in cities, so interest in figuring out how to cool them down might be growing, too.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Christopher Joyce is a correspondent on the science desk at NPR. His stories can be heard on all of NPR's news programs, including NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.
Becky Harlan is a visual and engagement editor for NPR's Life Kit.