Cities can be significantly hotter than surrounding rural areas, especially at night.

It’s called the urban heat island effect.

Asphalt, concrete, and building roofs absorb heat from the sun and slowly release it after dark, keeping urban areas warmer and leaving people with less relief from daytime heat.

As warming increases, communities can adapt by planting trees, using reflective roofs, choosing surfaces that don’t absorb as much heat, and other measures.

Watch the video to learn how urban heat islands work and what cities can do about them.