Chicago, along with 17 other communities across the country, built a team of resident scientists to measure heat across communities this summer. Factors like humidity, tree coverage, air flow, heavy traffic, humidity, and the density of buildings and concrete each contribute to how intense the heat feels. On July 28, 2023, over three shifts (morning, midday, and evening) volunteers traveled routes with heat sensors on their own cars. Each sensor records temperature, humidity, time, and location. This information is being analyzed and will be used to give Chicago residents and government decision-makers a clearer picture of ways to improve Chicago’s heat safety strategies. And now, the results are in!

Review the results and see how this information will provide Chicago residents and government decision-makers a clearer picture of ways to improve Chicago’s heat safety strategies. Attend our Heat Watch Chicago Report Launch Event with the Heat Watch Chicago team, the Northwestern University Buffett Institute Defusing Disasters Working Group, community partners, and others, on Wednesday, December 13, at 6 pm at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health.