Autor: Dominic Royé
Abstract: This paper presents a new methodology for the study of hot nights, also called “tropical nights”, in Portugal in order to identify those nights where people can be affected by heat stress. The use of two indicators obtained through half-hourly data has allowed to define in more detail the thermal characteristics of the nights, thereby being able to assess more accurately the risk to the health and well-being of the population. There is a significant increase in the frequency of tropical nights and hot nights on the Atlantic coast, from the north to the south of Portugal. The lower latitude and proximity to the coastline are associated with greater persistence of heat and thermal stress during these
nights. The hottest nights are more frequent and intense in the city center due to the effect of the urban heat island.
In: The overarching issues of the european space: spatial planning and multiple paths to sustainable and inclusive development. Porto. FLUP. pp. 269-283, 2015.