Atlanta, often dubbed “Hotlanta”, is facing intensified heat challenges, particularly in urban areas compared to more suburban regions.
The UrbanHeatATL initiative has been at the forefront of documenting urban heat islands across the city.
Under the leadership of Dr. Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, co-founder of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, the initiative began in 2021, and has been actively collecting summer data since June.
On July 17, UrbanHeatATL hosted an Adopt a Sensor Training event, followed by an Urban Heat Rendezvous on July 26.
During these events, community scientists, comprising mostly volunteers, collected critical temperature data at various points of interest while walking, running, biking, or skating for intervals of 15 to 30 minutes, depending on heat intensity.
Recent findings highlighted in the Spring 2025 publication titled “Mapping Extreme Heat” reveal that neighborhoods with fewer trees and green spaces typically endure higher temperatures.
These hotter areas are often located in regions with increased emergency room visits for asthma, a higher percentage of low-income residents, and a greater proportion of people of color.
With such findings, UrbanHeatATL emphasized the necessity for investment in green spaces, underscoring how heat islands disproportionately impact working-class and low-income communities.
Supporting this perspective, local organization Trees Atlanta and other environmental researchers assert that planting more trees can effectively mitigate urban heat effects.
Trees provide vital shade, lowering temperatures beneath their canopy while also decreasing energy demands for cooling systems.
The publication’s recommendations further include the establishment of local emergency response teams, the development of resiliency hubs and cooling centers, preservation and expansion of the city’s iconic tree canopy, and the creation of community heat response planning groups.
Knowledge from this data is especially crucial for vulnerable populations, including children, as it helps them understand which areas of their neighborhoods might be hottest during the day.
Quanda Spencer, the UrbanHeatATL project manager with West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, highlighted how volunteer participation as community scientists presents a unique and enjoyable opportunity for people to contribute.
Historically, data collection from 2021 to 2022 primarily centered around areas close to Georgia Tech and Midtown Atlanta, with significant contributions from Spelman College and sporadic locations in North Atlanta and DeKalb.
As the data collection season continues, efforts are being directed toward gathering information from less-explored areas of Atlanta.
“We want to know how heat is affecting the other parts of Atlanta that don’t really get seen,” Spencer said.
She emphasized the importance of understanding heat effects in regions such as Southwest Atlanta, the Westside, and Downtown, especially amidst ongoing discussions regarding urban tree protection ordinances.
Utilizing PocketLab weather sensors, UrbanHeatATL captures ambient air temperatures every second, enabling precise tracking of temperature variations across various routes throughout the city.
Ambient air temperature, also referred to as “dry bulb temperature,” provides a more accurate representation of local temperature conditions compared to broader readings obtained from National Weather Service stations.
Ultimately, UrbanHeatATL aims to publish a comprehensive white paper detailing their findings.
For communities that have long been underfunded, enhancing walkability necessitates creating more comfortable and convenient walking routes, which can only be achieved by considering the impact of heat on these pathways.
Joining a network of grassroots initiatives nationwide, UrbanHeatATL actively chronicles the challenges of extreme heat, particularly as global temperatures continue to reach record highs.
With growing interest from the community in becoming involved as scientists, UrbanHeatATL is optimistic about future volunteers at its upcoming Urban Heat Rendezvous scheduled for August 9.
Those interested in contributing can sign up to adopt a sensor and participate in this crucial initiative.
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