The city of Sedona is looking for dozens of volunteer citizen scientists to collect data regarding urban heat islands. The data collected will be used to address extreme heat and inform the city’s decisions on ways to reduce negative impacts to public health.
Urban heat islands can be significantly hotter than nearby areas with more vegetation and less asphalt. Participants will specifically identify areas within Sedona that experience more heat than others and determine if they would benefit from more vegetation, among other things.
Volunteers will travel designated paved roads in the morning, afternoon, and evening on predetermined days in June, typically the hottest, driest part of the summer. Using car and bike-mounted sensors, volunteers will record temperature, humidity, time and location.
Sedona is among 18 U.S. cities selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to participate in a national heat mapping campaign. To volunteer, fill out this form (English and Spanish) before May 21, 2023: https://forms.gle/VGrTAaFwL1CJWBw58.