Urban Climatology

Abstract

Human settlement, through the development of towns and cities, affects both the properties of the surface and that of the atmosphere above them. Urban regions therefore develop distinct urban climates in which the mean characteristics of the atmosphere within, above, and downwind of cities are modified by the city and constitute an unintentional modification of the climate. Urban climates are a local‐scale phenomenon that must consider the regional‐scale climate imposed by the topographic location of the city and the macroscale climate setting. Understanding urban climates is important because they provide a basis for minimizing negative effects of cities on their local climate and maximizing positive aspects that can improve the environmental quality and sustainability of the city.