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Can Kansas City withstand hotter and hotter summers?

This summer, communities across the U.S. are suffering from extreme heat waves, and Kansas City is no exception. We’ll hear why cities are often hotter than other places — and ideas for cooling them down.

Last week, heat indexes in the metro reached more than 110 degrees — leaving many wondering when the bestial weather would come to an end and how much worse things could get in years to come.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Associate UMKC Professor Fengpeng Sun, a a climate science who studies sustainability, urban climates and the future of climate change. He explained why cities turn into urban heat islands that are hotter than surrounding suburban and rural areas. Plus, he offered ideas for how cities can cool off by installing reflective roofing and pavement.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Paris Norvell, Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
Gabriella "Gabby" Lacey is an intern for KCUR Studios. She will begin her junior year at the Missouri School of Journalism in the fall.
KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and award-winning podcasts.
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