Image courtesy Jeremy Hoffman/Science Museum of Virginia
Last year on July 13, Jeremy Hoffman of the Science Museum of Virginia and a collaborator from Portland State University, Vivek Shandas, assembled a team of about three dozen volunteers who took temperatures throughout Richmond at three different times — 6 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. — as part of an effort to relate climate science to people’s lives.
Findings: One of the hottest places between 3 and 4 p.m. was near the Diamond, at about 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The coolest spot was in the woods near the Byrd Park Pump House: about 85 degrees. (Update: This year, July 13 was cooler, with a high temperature of 85 as measured at Richmond International Airport, compared with 99 degrees in 2017, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.)
Analysis: Hoffman’s team followed up with health officials and the Richmond Ambulance Authority on implications of the study. “Where we registered some of the hottest temperatures is where we see some of the highest ambulance response numbers,” he says.
Conclusions: Short term, the study could help to redirect resources, such as cooling stations. Long-term, says Hoffman, a question to consider is, “What kind of development are we allowing to occur — large, expansive parking lots, or … more native plants and trees to absorb and retain water?”
