Kansas City's heat islands make these dangerous temperatures even worse for some residents

Historic redlining and lack of green spaces in the Kansas City metro means that, even in the current heat wave, some people will experience temperatures at least 11 degrees warmer. These heat islands are driving up energy costs and causing public health concerns.
If you’ve stepped outside for even a brief moment in recent days, you have certainly felt Kansas City's scorching heat wave.

Temperatures are expected to remain at least in the high 90s for the next week, but temperatures are even higher in some parts of the city.

According to the Climate+Energy Project, this is because of the heat island effect: urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas, predominantly affecting areas with more buildings and less greenery to absorb and re-emit that heat.

In Kansas City, that also coincides with historically underserved communities that were subject to redlining. As a result, there is often more paved surfaces.