Overview of Heat islands map

The increasing frequency of heat waves is one of the main future climate risks in Estonia and elsewhere in the world. Heat waves are amplified primarily in cities, but also in densely populated areas as a heat island effect, where large dark surfaces (e.g. asphalt roads, asphalt-covered parking lots, bitumen roofs) absorb most of the solar radiation, which in turn heats the air in the urban space. An analysis was completed in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment and the Environmental Agency, during which the formation of heat islands in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Viljandi, Rakvere, Narva and Kohtla-Järve was studied based on Landsat8 satellite data. The analysis and the completed map application are good support material for local governments and planners. The heat island effect can be mitigated by limiting heat accumulation through planning and construction solutions and by implementing microclimatic measures in the urban environment, preserving and expanding green areas, landscaping and water bodies.

The report "Assessment of heat islands in Estonian cities in 2014-2019" (in estonian), map layers and map story can be found on the Environmental Portal.