Analyzing future climate risk in New York City

Project Information

The need for neighborhood-scale data and community-driven solutions has never been more urgent

Above: Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) for New York City

Extreme heat is a growing public health crisis which disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities in cities like New York. Low-income households and communities of color face higher exposure to extreme heat due to historical housing inequities, inadequate cooling infrastructure, and financial barriers to air conditioning. With climate change driving more frequent and intense heat waves, the need for neighborhood-scale data and community-driven solutions has never been more urgent. Our project aims to bridge this gap by using high-resolution climate modeling and community-based participatory research to better understand and address urban heat risks in NYC.

To translate climate science into actionable resilience strategies, we will develop a fine-scale heat vulnerability index, co-produce future heat maps with community partners, and create an interactive Collaborative Mapping Platform (Co-Map) using ArcGIS StoryMaps. This platform will integrate scientific data with local knowledge, fostering a dynamic dialogue on urban heat and climate justice. By leveraging expertise in climate modeling, urban planning, and community engagement, our team will work alongside NYC agencies and grassroots organizations to ensure that our research leads to meaningful, community-informed adaptation strategies for a hotter future.

Resources

New York City Micronet | Weather Stations

NYC.gov Data Portal | The urban heat island effect in NYC

The New Yorker Radio Hour | How Extreme Heat Affects the Body

NYC Emergency Management | Extreme Heat Resources

Publications by Project Members

The unprecedented Pacific Northwest heatwave of June 2021

Northern Hemisphere Heat Extremes in a Warmer Climate: More Probable but Less Colocated With Blocking

Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Atmospheric Rivers: A Modeling Perspective

NPCC4: New York City climate risk information 2022—observations and projections

A Systems Map of the Challenges of Climate Communication

Increasing extreme hourly precipitation risk for New York City after Hurricane Ida

More by Project Members

Team

James F. Booth
Lead Principal Investigator
Department Earth & Atmospheric Science | CCNY

Naresh Devineni
Co-Investigator
Grove School of Engineering | CCNY

Rachael Piltch-Loeb
Co-Investigator
CUNY School of Public Health

Jordan Eissner
Postdoctoral Researcher
Department Earth & Atmospheric Science | CCNY

Mahbuba Jyoti
Graduate Research Assistant
Grove School of Engineering | CCNY

Spencer Hill
Co-Investigator
Department Earth & Atmospheric Science | CCNY

Katia Lamer
Co-Investigator
Brookhaven National Lab

Zihao Zhang
Co-Investigator
Spitzer School of Architecture | CCNY

Gregory Randazzo
Doctoral Researcher
Department Earth & Atmospheric Science | CCNY

Prathap Ramamurthy
Co-Investigator
Grove School of Engineering | CCNY

Yana Kucheva
Co-Investigator
Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership | CCNY

Bryce Harrop
Collaborator
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Emily Comfort
Graduate Research Assistant
Spitzer School of Architecture | CCNY

Contact
James F. Booth, Associate Professor
City University of New York, City College
212-650-6471
jbooth@ccny.cuny.edu