CLIMATOLOGY (RAR -309)

MICRO CLIMATE & SITE CLIMATE

WEEK -4
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 MICRO CLIMATE _definition
Any local deviation from the climate of a larger
It can be of a space as
area, whatever the scale may be. Immediate
small as the protected
local climatic conditions such as temperature,
inner courtyard of a humidity, solar radiation, wind, etc. define the
building and as large as micro climate of that region.
a city which have
different climatic
conditions of the larger
area around.
Microclimates can be
found near bodies of
water that can cool the
local atmosphere, or in
heavily urban area

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 MICRO CLIMATE _definition

Microclimate refers to “the

ambient physical conditions due
to either atmospheric variables or
exchanges with other bodies over
a period of time representative of
all the conditions determined by
the natural and manmade forcing
factors” (Camuffo, 1998, p8).

Atmospheric variables, such as

temperature, precipitation, and
sensible and latent heat fluxes
.These variables are sensitive to
anthropogenic activities that modify
land surface properties and land-
atmosphere connections (Hartig et
al., 1997; McMichael et al., 2006).
Climatic difference of various regions of DELHI
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 MICRO CLIMATE _Major Micro Climatic regions
Micro Climate in URBAN areas : These
are perhaps the most complex of all
microclimates. High density population,
industries and other manmade activities,
stress on resources; land, water etc. and
disturbances in ecological and natural
environments.
Micro Climate in Natural Areas: Presence of
trees can help to mitigate many ecological and
environmental stresses. Regulate temperature,
humidity level and other atmospheric conditions.
Any area with substantial green cover have
proven to be lower in temperature and have
better atmospheric conditions. Process like
evapo-transpiration from leaves of the
forest/green cover are one of the primary reason.

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 MICRO CLIMATE _Natural Factors
AIR TEMPERATURE
• The air temperature near the ground is dependent on heat gained/lost by the earth surface.
• heat exchange varies with day/night, season, time of the year, latitude and cloud cover.
• During the day, with the heating of the earth surface, the air nearest to the ground(within 2
metres) gains most temperature. At night, the direction of heat flow is reversed.

TEMPERATURE INVERSION
• The phenomenon of decreasing temperature with increase in altitude.
• Cold air tends to settle in the deepest depressions and behaves as a liquid. It does not flow
quite readily like water but like a highly viscous liquid.
• A difference of 7‐8 m in height can cause 5‐6 deg drop in temp.

HUMIDITY
• Relative humidity is inversely proportional to temperature.
• During the day, when the lowest layer of air is heated by the ground surface, RH decreases
rapidly. This leads to higher rate of evaporation(If there is water body, vegetation, etc.) leading
to increase in Absolute Humidity.
• At night, When dew point temperature is reached, fog formation takes place and if there is no
further rapid cooling nor air movement, a deep layer (40‐50m) of fog develops.

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 MICRO CLIMATE _ Natural Factors
PRECIPITATION
• When ground level changes by more than 300m, the windward side receives more rainfall than
the regional average.
• In an extreme case, on a large site located on the top of a hill and extending down to both the
slopes, the leeward side receives only 25% of the rain received by the windward side.
• REASON: hill forces the air mass to rise which cools it down and it is no loner able to support
the moisture carried. This effect can also be caused by towns. The opposite is also true.

LAKES & OCEANS

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 MICRO CLIMATE _Rain Shadow Effect

A rain shadow is a patch of

land that has been forced to
become a desert because
mountain ranges blocked all
plant-growing, rainy weather.
On one side of the mountain,
wet weather systems
drop rain and` snow. On the
other side of the mountain—
the rain shadow side—all
that precipitation is blocked.

Mountains commonly results in

high rainfall on the windward
side and low rainfall in the rain
shadow of the leeward side.

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 MICRO CLIMATE _ Natural Factors
SOLAR RADIATION
• Transparency of the atmosphere: Cloud formation, air pollution, smog, smoke, dust, etc. affect the
intensity of solar radiation on the horizontal plane.
• Slope and orientation of the site: Intensity on the actual ground surface. At mid latitudes, a site
sloping towards the pole will receive much less radiation than the site sloping towards equator.
(Effect is negligible around equator)
• Obstructions like hills, trees, existing buildings which may cast a shadow on the site. The effect is
most pronounced when the objects like on east or west of the site.
VEGETATION
• Vegetation is usually regarded as a function of climate
but in itself it can influence the local or site climate.
• Forming an intermediate layer between the earth
surface and the atmosphere, they have a moderating
effect on air temperature, humidity, radiation and air
movement.
•Trees, shrubbery and grasses provide shade that
prevents moisture from evaporating.
•Permeable surfaces reduce temperature through
evaporative cooling.

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 MICRO CLIMATE _ Natural Factors
AIR MOVEMENT
• Air flowing across any surface is subjected to frictional forces. Wind speed near the round is
less than the speed than higher up and the difference depends on the smoothness/evenness of
the surface.
• On hilly sites, the greatest speeds are experienced at the crest of the hills. The valleys may
experience I wind speed if their direction coincides wit the direction of the wind flow.
• Large stretches of water can give rise to local coastal breezes. On‐sore breezes (from water to
land) during the day may lower the maximum temperature by 10 deg Celsius but are likely to
increase humidity.
• On shore lake breezes are rarely
effective beyond 400m but the sea
breezes are much more effective.
• Wind speed can be reduced after
a long horizontal barrier by 50% at
a distance of ten times and by 25%
at a distance of 20 times the height.
SKY CONDITIONS
• Abrupt change in topography may cause a permanent cloud cover like in the rock of
Gibraltar.
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 MICRO CLIMATE _ Non-Natural Factors

Man‐made environments create micro climate of their own deviating from the
regional climate.
The factors causing deviation:
• Changed surface qualities: (pavements and
buildings) : Increased absorbance of solar
radiation, reduced evaporation.
• Buildings: Casting a shadow, acting as barriers
to winds, channelizing winds, storing heat in their
mass and releasing it at nit.
• Energy seepage: through walls and ventilation
of heated buildings
• Atmospheric pollution: Presence of solid
particles in urban atmosphere may assist in
formation of fog and induce rainfall.

• Temperature can be 8 deg higher in cities tan the surrounding country side, humidity can be
reduced by 5‐10%, wind velocity can be reduced by half.

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 MICRO CLIMATE _ Non-Natural Factors

GROUND COVER SURFACE COLOR

Impermeable surfaces reduce Light surfaces reflect
evaporative cooling opportunities radiant heat, Darker
surfaces absorb
radiant heat

GROUND COVER
Grass pavers can help to
reduce the impact of heat.

Temperature can be 8 deg higher in cities tan the surrounding country side, humidity can be reduced by 5‐10%,
wind velocity can be reduced by half.
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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE
BUILDINGS
IMPERMEABLE

ALBEDO
POLLUTION RADIANT HEAT

People

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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE _Factors
•Human activity has a big influence on the climate of an urban
area. This is a result of number of human-induced factors which tend
to increase the amount of heat in an urban areas.

People •Climate is the long term behavior of the atmosphere in a specific

area, with characteristics such as temperature, pressure, wind,

BUILDINGS ALBEDO
POLLUTION
precipitation, cloud cover and humidity etc.

•An urban area is an area with a high density of human created

structures in comparison with the areas surrounding it.

•Climate in Urban Areas are affected by human factors such as

pollution, the colour of buildings, people themselves and factories etc.
Urban Micro-climates do not only refer to hotter temperatures in cities- Often due
to the presence of low pressure systems and high rise buildings, cities are often
very windy places.

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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE _POLLUTION
Any possible form of pollution
has an impact on its surroundings.
Micro climate of any region has
higher negative influence through
(Air, Water, Land )pollution and
any other invisible form of
pollutants impacting the
atmospheric conditions
drastically.
The primary pollutants from power
plants include Sulphur Dioxide,
Nitrogen Oxides, Particulate Matter,
Carbon Monoxide and Mercury.
Increased use of fossil-fuel-powered
plants also increases emissions of
greenhouse gases, such as Carbon
Dioxide, which contribute to Global
Climate Control.
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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE _BUILDINGS
Colour affects the amount of heat
which is reflected by a surface.
This is referred to as the Albedo.
Certain colours are able to
absorb heat energy thus warming
the temperature of the
surrounding area.
All weather is a result of the
uneven heating of the Earth
caused by different areas of the
planet having different Albedos.

Generally the Lighter the colour the higher the Albedo and the Darker the colour
the Lower the Albedo. The higher the Albedo, the less heat there is in an area. Polar
Regions have the highest Albedo

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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE _PEOPLE

There are a number of ways in

which people can affect the
climate. Humans in numbers are
great heat generator.

Pollution is the main contributor

by man. Traffic- In Large Urban
Areas Transport is always an
issue and the build up of Traffic
leads to more emissions.
Industry- Industries are
necessary for everyday life but
the pollutants they ‘spew’ into the
atmosphere lead to increase in
temperatures. Central
Heating/Cooling- Electricity is
needed for both heating and
cooling of houses. The more an
urban area continue to grow and
warm the more energy will be
needed.

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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE _EFFECTS
Pollutants are harmful to human health and also contribute to a
reduction in Air Quality- Smog or Acid Rain.
Warmer temperatures in cities mean that in the summer
during heat waves, many cities and their residents experience
even greater temperatures and heat stress. In 2003 this was a
major problem in Europe, particularly France, and many
people died. The mean winter temperatures are on average 1-
2 degrees Celsius higher in urban areas, in comparison to
rural areas.
The mean summer temperature may be on average 5 degrees
Celsius higher than surrounding rural areas.
Locally as warm air rises over an urban area it draws in heat
from the surrounding area and creates an area of localised low
pressure.
Strong pressure gradients develop between the windward and
leeward side of buildings and can lead to severe eddying
Smog Acid Rain winds.
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 URBAN MICRO CLIMATE _EFFECTS
As a result of the Micro-Climate in Urban areas the Term
Urban Heat Island was coined.

Urban An urban heat island (UHI) is a metropolitan area that is

significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to
human activities.
heat The temperature different is usually larger at night than in the
day and recorded when wind is minimal.

island
Urban Heat Islands refer to
urban areas which have a
significantly higher average
temperature than the
surrounding suburbs.

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 URBAN HEAT ISLAND _ Factors
- The release (and reflection) of heat from industrial and domestic buildings;
the absorption by concrete, brick and tarmac of heat during the day, and its release into the lower
atmosphere at; the reflection of solar radiation by glass buildings and windows. The central business
districts of some urban areas can therefore have quite high albedo rates (proportion of light reflected);
the emission of hygroscopic pollutants from cars and heavy industry act as condensation nuclei, leading
to the formation of cloud and smog, which can trap radiation. In some cases, a pollution dome can also
build up; the relative absence of water in urban areas means that less energy is used for evapo-
transpiration and more is available to heat the lower atmosphere;
the absence of strong winds to both disperse the heat and bring in cooler air from rural and suburban
areas.
Indeed, urban
heat islands are
often most clearly
defined on calm
summer evenings,
often under
blocking
anticyclones.

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 SITE CLIMATE _Definition & Factors
Factors affecting the local SITE CLIMATE: Climate of the area available and is to
deviation are: be used for the given purpose, both in horizontal extent
and in height.
• Topography: Slope,
orientation, exposure,
elevation, hills or valleys at or
near the ground.
• Ground surface: (Whether
natural or man‐made): affect in
terms of reflectance,
permeability and the soil
temperature as these affect the
vegetation and this in turn
affects the climate. (woods,
shrubs, grass, paving, water,
etc.).
• Three dimensional objects:
such as trees, tree belts, fences,
walls and buildings as these The task of the designer is to take advantage of the favourable
may influence air movement, and mitigate the adverse characteristics of the site and its
cast a shadow, etc. climatic features
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 SITE CLIMATE _Factors

The effect of hedges/shelter

One side of the hedge faces
the sun. It would be warmer,
other side of the hedge is in
shade. It would be cooler

The effect of hedges/shelter

One side wall is exposed to
the wind. It would be cooler,
and other side of the wall is
sheltered from the wind. It
would be warmer. Wall also
respond to solar exposure.

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 SITE CLIMATE _definition

The effect of Physical features

Water areas like ponds or
small water feature have a
cooling effect on the land.
Trees can also shade the
land. It would be cooler

The effect of Surfaces

Dark surfaces such as
tarmac store heat. It would
be warmer

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 SITE CLIMATE _definition

The effect of Native trees

Regulate ecology of the area,
help soil to revitalize. Trees
with seasonal response
towards climatic conditions
can help to reduce energy
consumption of the buildings.

The effect of trees Canopies

Provide Shaded areas and help
to reduce the impact of heat.
Maintain moisture content and
create comfortable
surroundings. Row of trees can
obstruct unwanted winds and
protect buildings.

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 Credits and References
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51864419_A_study_of_urban_heat_island_and_its_association_with_particulate_matter_duri
ng_winter_months_over_Delhi/figures?lo=1
• https://www.osti.gov/pages/servlets/purl/1344908
• https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-solutions-of-air-pollution.php
• https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.popsci.com%2Fresizer%2Ffw4jihEvnsD1rzHfVEhIVsgVntg%3D%2F
1200x628%2Fsmart%2Farc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-
• https://slideplayer.com/slide/4458551/
• https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/high-brick-wall-shadows-falling-on-552778741

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