Numerical simulation of the impact of land cover change on Urban Heat Island effect in Nanjing

In this article, Weather Research and Forecast Model (WRF) is coupled with the optimal urban parameterization scheme to study the impact of land cover change in Nanjing on Urban Heat Island (UHI). Results show that urbanization intensifies surface air temperature over the region, with the intensity of UHI increased. After urbanization, wind speed over the downtown decreases rapidly, while Urban Heat Circulation apparently occurs. Moreover, experiments prove that the downstream effect of UHI also exists in Nanjing.