City of Dallas completes efforts to map high risk heat zones using extensive community data collection

Dallas, Texas – In the summer of 2024, the City of Dallas partnered with a group of dedicated volunteers to complete a citywide Urban Heat Island (UHI) mapping initiative aimed at understanding the impact of extreme heat across neighborhoods. This campaign comes in response to a growing concern over heat-related health risks, as extreme heat has remained the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States for over 30 years.

With help from around 100 community volunteers, the city collected temperature and humidity data using sensors mounted on vehicles. These volunteers recorded data three times throughout the day on August 10, 2024, across twenty-one routes, covering approximately 241.8 square miles of Dallas. A total of 152,032 data points were gathered, showing a maximum temperature difference of 12 degrees Fahrenheit across areas of the city, with the highest reading recorded at 101.4°F.

Urban heat islands are areas dominated by concrete, asphalt, and minimal greenery. These neighborhoods absorb and retain heat, making them significantly hotter than areas that have more trees and natural surfaces. In some cases, this heat differential can reach up to 20 degrees. Residents living in such locations—often in historically underserved communities—face a higher risk of health complications due to increased exposure to heat.

The city’s mapping campaign extended the overall coverage of heat island data to roughly 350 square miles. The goal was not only to pinpoint the hottest areas but also to develop detailed, high-resolution maps showing ambient temperature and heat index levels across the city. These insights will help city leaders, planners, and environmental experts make informed decisions about where to prioritize tree planting, park development, and infrastructure upgrades to mitigate heat risks.

Several areas stood out as having elevated temperatures, including portions of Oak Cliff, South Dallas, Love Field, the Medical District, Pleasant Wood, West Dallas, and Oak Lawn.

The areas identified as the hottest zones in Dallas were:

• District 1 & 4: Oak Cliff, Bishop Arts, South Oak Cliff, South Dallas, Glendale Park, Wynnewood Heights

• District 2: Love Field West Residential, Medical District

• District 5: Pleasant Wood

• District 6: West Dallas, Ledbetter Gardens, Westmoreland Heights, Fredrick Douglas, Brookhollow PID, Gribble

• District 7: Claremont Addition

• District 11: Preston Hills

• District 12: North Dallas, Old Mill Court, areas near Timberglen Park, Highlands

• District 14: Oak Lawn, Harwood, Downtown

This initiative underscores how community-driven data can help shape climate resilience strategies and guide future investments in tree planting, greenspace development, and public health outreach in the most heat-sensitive parts of Dallas.

The full report will soon be available on dallasclimateaction.com or greendallas.net.