Category Archives: Urban meteorology

The Role of Synoptic Meteorology on UK Air Pollution

Posted on 14 August, 2017 by Stephen Burt

By Chris Webber In the past year the issue of air pollution within the UK has been elevated, driven by the loss of life that it causes (in 2013 > 500,000 years of UK lives lost due to air pollution … Continue reading →

Posted in Aerosols, Atmospheric chemistry, Boundary layer, Environmental hazards, Urban meteorology | Tagged | Leave a comment

Responding to the threat of hazardous pollutant releases in cities

Posted on 24 July, 2017 by Met Department

By Denise Hertwig High population density and restricted evacuation options make cities particularly vulnerable to threats posed by air-borne contaminants released into the atmosphere through industrial accidents or terrorist attacks. In order to issue evacuation or sheltering advice to the … Continue reading →

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Can the use of CCTV images improve urban flooding forecasts?

Posted on 3 April, 2017 by Stephen Burt

By Sanita Vetra-Carvalho Urban flooding can result from intense rainfall, flash floods, coastal floods or river floods, the same as in rural areas. However, in cities, unlike in rural areas, there is very little open soil available for water storage … Continue reading →

Posted in data assimilation, Environmental hazards, Hydrology, Urban meteorology | Leave a comment

Understanding Summer Flash Flooding

Posted on 20 June, 2016 by Stephen Burt

By Adrian Champion ‘Flash flooding’ is flooding that only lasts between a few hours and a day and typically has very little warning. There are many causes of flash flooding, from the meteorological conditions that lead to the rainfall that … Continue reading →

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Predicting the airborne spread of hazardous releases in urban areas

Posted on 7 March, 2016 by Stephen Burt

By Omduth Coceal The threat of terrorist attacks, like the risk of accidents, is an unfortunate probability that we need to take seriously and be prepared for. A particularly challenging problem is to be able to predict the spread of potentially … Continue reading →

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Summer in the City – Materials, 3D Morphology and Urban Surface Temperatures

Posted on 7 September, 2015 by Stephen Burt

By Simone Kotthaus Who would have guessed that a zebra-crossing could go viral without a band walking across?! But this year it happened to pictures of a road in Delhi, India as the asphalt softened under soaring heat-wave conditions that … Continue reading →

Posted in Boundary layer, Climate, Solar radiation, University of Reading, Urban meteorology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Carbon exchanges in cities and woodlands of southern England

Posted on 27 April, 2015 by Stephen Burt

By Sue Grimmond Cities are major contributors to recent carbon dioxide (CO2) rises in the atmosphere.  Emissions come from multiple sources, including vehicles, domestic heating/cooling, industrial activities and directly from people. While a large number of studies have focused on … Continue reading →

Posted in Boundary layer, Measurements and instrumentation, Numerical modelling, Urban meteorology | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Urban climate research to support a sustainable London

Posted on 5 May, 2014 by Stephen Burt

By Dr Alex Boon Investment into our urban areas is of key importance as we continue into the 21st century and face a changing climate. Our urban areas are expanding and becoming ever more densely populated. Furthermore, urban areas are … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Climate change, Environmental hazards, Urban meteorology | Leave a comment