A historical and experimental study of the urban heat island in Toronto

The presence and nature of an urban heat island in the city of Toronto is compared to the surrounding suburban and rural areas. The analysis focused on the spatial and temporal variation of temperatures across the Great Toronto Area region using both historical and current experimental data. Results indicate the difference between urban and rural/suburban temperatures has been decreasing in recent years as a result of a saturated UHI in Toronto and increased urbanization in suburban areas. The study also considered the effects of population on the formation of UHI following a logarithmic relationship as suggested by earlier research. The analysis also suggested the localized formation of UHI in Toronto's suburban areas such as Richmond Hill. A well defined lake breeze from Lake Ontario was identified and quantified.