Residents in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City had the opportunity to serve as community scientists to gather temperature data atthe hottest parts of our Corridor communities as part of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) heat island project. 

The City of Cedar Rapids, along with Iowa City, recently was named one of 18 communities in the U.S. to participate in the NOAA Urban Heat Island (UHI) mapping campaign, and we received grant funding from NOAA for this project. UHIs are areas with fewer trees and more pavement to absorb heat and create heat pockets in communities, in contrast with areas that feature more trees, green spaces, and less asphalt. UHIs are detrimental to public health because of these created heat pockets.

The NOAA UHI mapping campaign engaged community volunteers to help collect data in their neighborhoods by utilizing provided sensors mounted on their vehicles; the sensors recorded temperature, humidity, time, and location. This project supports our goals in the City of Cedar Rapids Community Climate Action Plan, which prioritizes urban heat island mitigation, especially in vulnerable neighborhoods. This UHI mapping campaign is a great way for residents to learn about heat islands and take action in our community while helping us meet the goals of our climate plan and make Cedar Rapids a more resilient and sustainable place to live, now and into the future.


See interactive map below of the results of data gathered during the campaign. View Full Screen

Final Spot the Hot report: