Houston Harris Heat Action Team (H3AT) Mapping Campaign

Houston Harris Heat Action Team’s (H3AT) Mapping Campaign project started in 2020 and was repeated on August 10, 2024. The purpose of these campaigns is to measure the temperature and humidity in Harris County on a hot summer day - “campaign day”. The heat mapping campaign relies on community volunteers to help capture data at three separate times on campaign day. With this data, temperature maps are created which will allow for better project design and policies that can address heat-related health issues across the region. It can also support decision makers and government officials in their urban planning and in identifying areas that are most vulnerable to heat; helping to develop policies and practices to improve the lives of Houston area residents.

Urban areas are especially prone to high temperatures due to a combination of hard surfaces (buildings and roads), limited green spaces, and heat-producing factors like car use and industrial activity. This problem, known as the “Urban Heat Island Effect,” can create issues for human health, infrastructure, and quality of life. Understanding how temperatures vary based on qualities of the natural and built landscape can inform how we reduce the impacts of rising summer temperatures in our communities.