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How does the Urban Island heat effect impact Toledo, Ohio?
Organization(s):Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School
Country:United States of America
Student(s):Miles Wharry
Dominic timmers
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
GLOBE Member(s):Miles Wharry, Gloria Kreischer Gajewicz
Contributors:Dr. KG
Report Type(s):Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Air Temperature
Presentation Poster:
View Document
Language(s):English
Date Submitted:2026-02-02
The Urban Heat Island effect is present in many areas of life, and understanding it can help to improve city infrastructure and help to reduce heat-related injuries. This effect is when cities are warmer than rural areas, due to factors such as concrete and burning of fossil fuels that heats up the surrounding areas. We hypothesize that downtown Toledo will be slightly warmer than suburban Ottawa Hills. The methods used were using a thermometer to test the air temperature in 2 different areas, one suburban and one urban to demonstrate the urban heat island effect. The materials used were a thermometer, a computer for the data, and a box to stop environmental factors. The results of the experiment showed Ottawa Hills to be cooler than downtown Toledo by an average of 2.24 degrees. From the results, it can be concluded that the urban heat island effect is present in urban and suburban areas of moderately sized cities.