Insider Blog: Urban areas add on to unbearable heat

This mid-August heatwave has been extreme, bringing the feels-like conditions to near or above 115 degrees in parts of Mid-MO. But this already unbearable heat can be even worse in urban areas full of concrete, cars, and people.

In Columbia, you can expect temperatures to be up to 6 degrees higher on average just due to the urban setting. This is especially concentrated downtown with less green space and along other urban strips like Grindstone Parkway and Paris Road. Larger cities like St. Louis and Kansas City can see an average urban heat effect push temperatures 7 degrees or more above the forecast high. It's important to remain hydrated and reduce time outdoors, especially in urban regions with this summer heat.