Analysis of air temperature dynamics in the "local climate zones" of Novi Sad (Serbia) based on long-term database from an urban meteorological network

Air Temperature and Relative Humidity Datasets from an Urban Meteorological Network in the City Area of Novi Sad (Serbia)

This data article describes two groups of datasets which capture, firstly - 10-minutes air temperature (Ta) and relative humidity (RH) data from 27 urban and non-urban sites over a period of 3.5 years covering 2014-2018; and secondly - hourly Ta data from 12 urban sites over a period of 2 years covering 2016 and 2017. Both datasets are from urban meteorological network located in the Novi Sad city (Serbia). These datasets have 2 different types of information in the collection: one type provides details about the monitoring sites at which the Ta and RH sensors are placed, while the second type contains Ta and RH data at all sensor locations. In all, the 10-minutes dataset contains about 185,000 instances of Ta and RH data, and the hourly datasets contain 17,544 instances of Ta data. The 10-minutes datasets were not quality controlled, but the hourly Ta data has been cleaned and gap-filled so there are 24 measures at each site for each day. There are multiple potential uses, where this data can be applied. It can provide insights in understanding intra-urban and inter-urban research, urban climate modeling on local or micro scales, heat-related public health investigations and urban environment inquiries. It can also be used in machine learning experiments, for example, to test the accuracy of classification algorithms or to build and validate spatio-temporal machine learning functions, either for classification purposes or for gap filling. These datasets are directly citable through its DOIs and available for download from the Zenodo platform or from the Fair Micromet Portal.

Analysis of long- and short-term biometeorological conditions in the Republic of Serbia

Long- and short-term biometeorological conditions in the Republic of Serbia were analyzed using official meteorological data from numerous weather stations located across the country. Selected biometeorological indices HUMIDEX, Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET), and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) are calculated based on air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and cloudiness data from the meteorological stations on annual and summer level as well as during selected heat wave periods during 2000-2020. Application of different biometeorological indices provides similar but somewhat different results. For example, average annual HUMIDEX and UTCI values indicate no thermal stress and no discomfort at all stations, while PET indicates the occurrence of slight to moderate cold stress at all stations. Average summer PET and UTCI indicate the occurrence of slight to moderate heat stress throughout the country, while HUMIDEX indicates no discomfort. Trends of biometeorological indices on annual and summer level show a general increase throughout the country. Furthermore, heat wave analysis indicated that the most populated cities of Serbia are under dangerous and extreme heat stress during these extreme temperature events, which can influence human health and well-being. The obtained biometeorological information can be used for the preparation of climate adaptation strategies that consider the human biometeorological conditions, with a special focus on developing climate-sensitive and comfortable cities.

Hospital admission tendencies caused by day-to-day temperature changes during summer: a case study for the city of Novi Sad (Serbia)

Increased temperature risk in cities threatens the health and well-being of urban population and is fueled by climate change and intensive urbanization. Consequently, further steps must be taken for assessing temperature conditions in cities and their association with public health, in order to improve public health prevention at local or regional level. This study contributes to solving the problems by analyzing the connection between extreme temperatures and the tendencies of all-cause hospital admissions. The analyses used (a) 1-h air temperature data, and (b) daily data of all-cause hospital admissions. The datasets include the summer period (June, July, August) for the years 2016 and 2017. We tested the effects of two temperature indices, day-to-day change in maximum temperature - T_max,c and daily temperature range - T_r, with all-cause hospital admission subgroups, such as all-cause cases - H_a, hospital admissions in the population below 65 - H_a<65, and hospital admissions in the population aged 65 and over - H_a≥65. The results show the highest values of H_a when T_max,c is between 6 and 10 °C. Therefore, more intensive hospital admissions can be expected when T_max increases from day-to-day (positive values of T_max,c), and it is more visible for H_a and H_a<65 (1 °C = 1% increase in hospital admissions). Also, T_r values between 10 °C and 14 °C cause an increase in the number of hospital admissions, and it is more noticeable for H_a≥65.

Lowering the Temperature to Increase Heat Equity: A Multi-Scale Evaluation of Nature-Based Solutions in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Nature-based solutions (NbS) present an opportunity to reduce rising temperatures and the urban heat island effect. A multi-scale study in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, evaluates the effect of NbS on air and land surface temperature through two field campaigns at the micro and meso scales, using in situ measurements and LANDSAT imagery. This research demonstrates that the application of NbS in the form of green infrastructure has a beneficial impact on urban climate regimes with measurable reductions in air and land surface temperatures. Broad implementation of green infrastructure is a sustainable solution to improve the urban climate, enhance heat and greenspace equity, and increase resilience.

Mask wearing behavior in hot urban spaces of Novi Sad during the COVID-19 pandemic

Urban overheating (due to climate change and urbanization) and COVID-19 are two converging crises that must be addressed in tandem. Fine-scale, place-based, people-centric biometeorological and behavioral data are needed to implement context-specific preventative measures such as mask-wearing. This study collected local biometeorological measurements in diverse urban spaces (square, urban park, river quay) in Novi Sad, Serbia on hot sunny summer days (27-30 August 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Observations were supplemented by an online survey asking questions about thermal sensation, comfort, and concurrent protective behavior of the local population. Biometeorological measurements show that the main square in the city center was the most thermally uncomfortable area. According to the survey, it was also perceived as the least safe space to not contract the virus. The urban park was perceived as the most thermally comfortable area in the morning and during midday. It was also considered the safest urban space for outdoor activities. In the evening, the river quay was the most thermally comfortable area in the city. Intra-urban differences in Physiologically Equivalent Temperatures were highest during midday, while differences in air temperatures were highest in the evening. More than 70% of the respondents did not wear face masks when it was hot because of breathing issues and feeling warmer than without mask. Most people wearing a mask felt "slightly warm" in the morning and evening, while the majority of respondents felt "hot" during midday. Only 3% of the respondents felt comfortable while wearing a mask, while 97% experienced some degree of discomfort (from slight discomfort to very uncomfortable). Our study shows that fine scale temporal and spatial urban biometeorological data and population surveys should be included in decision-making processes during the pandemic to develop climate-sensitive health services that are place-based, people-centric, and facilitate planning towards green, resilient, and inclusive cities.

Air Humidity Characteristics in “Local Climate Zones” of Novi Sad (Serbia) Based on Long-Term Data

This study aims to investigate spatial and temporal dynamics and relationship between air temperature and five air humidity parameters (relative humidity, water vapor pressure, absolute humidity, specific humidity, and vapor pressure deficit) in Novi Sad, Serbia, based on two-year data (December 2015–December 2017). The analysis includes different urban areas of Novi Sad, which are delineated in five built (urban) types of local climate zones (LCZ) (LCZ 2, LCZ 5, LCZ 6, LCZ 8, and LCZ 9), and one land cover (natural) local climate zone (LCZ A) located outside the urban area. Temporal analysis included annual, seasonal, and monthly dynamics of air temperature and air humidity parameters, as well as their patterns during the extreme periods (heat and cold wave). The results showed that urban dry island (UDI) occurs in densely urbanized LCZ 2 from February to October, unlike other urban LCZs. The analysis of the air humidity dynamics during the heat wave shows that UDI intensity is most pronounced during the daytime, but also in the evening (approximately until midnight) in LCZ 2. However, lower UDI intensity is observed in the afternoon, in other urban LCZs (LCZ 6, LCZ 8, and LCZ 9) and occasionally in the later afternoon in LCZ 5. Regression analysis confirms the relationship between air temperature and each of the analyzed air humidity parameters.

Experimental Comparative Study between Conventional and Green Parking Lots: Analysis of Subsurface Thermal Behavior under Warm and Dry Summer Conditions

Green infrastructure has a role to play in climate change adaptation strategies in cities. Alternative urban spaces should be designed considering new requirements in terms of urban microclimate and thermal comfort. Pervious pavements such as green parking lots can contribute to this goal through solar evaporative cooling. However, the cooling benefits of such systems remain under debate during dry and warm periods. The aim of this study was to compare experimentally the thermal behavior of different parking lot types (PLTs) with vegetated urban soil. Four parking lots were instrumented, with temperature probes buried at different depths. Underground temperatures were measured during summer 2019, and the hottest days of the period were analyzed. Results show that the less mineral used in the surface coating, the less it warms up. The temperature difference at the upper layer can reach 10 °C between mineral and non-mineral PLTs. PLTs can be grouped into three types: (i) high surface temperature during daytime and nighttime, important heat transfer toward the sublayers, and low time shift (asphalt system); (ii) high (resp. low) surface temperature during daytime (resp. nighttime), weak heat transfer toward the sublayers, and important time shift (paved stone system); and (iii) low surface temperature during daytime and nighttime, weak heat transfer toward the sublayers, and important time shift (vegetation and substrate system, wood chips system, vegetated urban soil). The results of this study underline that pervious pavements demonstrate thermal benefits under warm and dry summer conditions compared to conventional parking lot solutions. The results also indicate that the hygrothermal properties of urban materials are crucial for urban heat island mitigation.

Temporal Analysis of Urban-Suburban PET, mPET and UTCI Indices in Belgrade (Serbia)

The analysis of the bioclimatic conditions is becoming increasingly relevant in climate interpretations for human needs, particularly in spatial planning, tourism, public health, sports events, bio-prognosis, etc. In this context, our study presents general temporal bioclimatic conditions in Belgrade, defined based on the PET, mPET and UTCI heat budget indices. Monthly, seasonal and annual indices were analyzed for urban and suburban weather stations based on 43 annual sets of meteorological data obtained by hourly observations at 7 h and 14 h CET. This study aims to present the distribution of PET, mPET and UTCI indices to show the pattern of each index in a mild climate location and to examine annual and seasonal differences of each index in the Belgrade urban center and suburban part of the city. The study results indicate higher biothermal stress in the urban area compared to the suburban zone and that the indices are congruent during the summer. At the same time, during the winter, they are more difficult to compare due to their peculiarities becoming more noticeable. The results obtained of all mean monthly and mean annual values of all three indices clearly indicate the difference that follows the definition of the urban heat island (UHI), particularly those from morning observation and winter season. The UTCI index shows the most significant monthly, seasonal and annual difference between urban and suburban areas for both observations. The annual difference of ΔUTCI7h amounts to 1.5 °C is the same as the annual difference of minimum temperatures (Δtmin). In contrast, the annual differences of ΔPET7h ΔmPET7h are °smaller (0.8 °C and 0.7 °C) and closer to the annual differences of maximum temperatures Δtmax amounted of 0.6 °C.