The urban heat island steepens the environmental lapse rate, creating unstable conditions by

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The urban heat island effect causes the ground surface in cities to be much hotter than the air temperature higher up in the atmosphere. This steepens the environmental lapse rate, which is the rate of temperature decrease with height in the atmosphere. The result is unstable conditions where warm, less dense air rises rapidly, leading to increased convective activity and potential for thunderstorms.

The Urban Heat Island Steepens the Environmental Lapse Rate, Creating