Geographia Polonica (2014) vol. 87, iss. 4

Urban climate research in Warsaw: the results of microclimatic network measurements

Magdalena Kuchcik, Krzysztof Błażejczyk, Paweł Milewski, Jakub Szmyd

Geographia Polonica (2014) vol. 87, iss. 4, pp. 491-504 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/GPol.2014.33

The paper presents some aspects of Warsaw’s climate, in particular the urban heat island. UHI changesin different seasons and in different air mass types were analysed over the years 2011-2012. Average UHI in Warsaw is of a diamond shape which reflects the distribution of the densest built area and exceeds 2.0°Cin the city centre compared to the airport station. In subtropical air mass, the intensity of UHI on the leftside of the Vistula River reached 7.7°C. The basis for the analysis is the microclimatic measurement network of 28 permanent points in Warsaw and its surroundings, operated by IGSO PAS and completed by data from 7 other stations. This dense network became the IGSO PAS’ input into an UHI project titled ‘Development and application of mitigation and adaptation strategies and measures for counteracting the global Urban HeatIslands phenomenon (UHI)’ implemented through the Central Europe Program and co-financed by the ERDF.

Keywords: city climate, network of microclimatic measurements, urban heat island, Warsaw

Magdalena Kuchcik [mkuchcik@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Krzysztof Błażejczyk [k.blaz@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Paweł Milewski [pmilewski@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Jakub Szmyd [j.wolski@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland