Five years of thermal intra-urban monitoring in Florence (Italy) and application of climatological indices

This paper presents 5 years of detailed intra-urban thermal measurements carried out in Florence (Italy) by a network of 25 air temperature stations. Daily, hourly, and degree-day indices were applied to hourly data to evaluate the difference within the complex urban environment of Florence. Stations were grouped in four clusters with similar thermal regimes in each season. Our results evidence a mean difference of almost 2°C between the hottest and the coolest cluster in all seasons. Furthermore, the coolest cluster had on average more than ten frost days in winter and the hottest cluster more than 12 summer days in summer. The intra-urban difference of tropical nights was even more evident, with values of 42 versus 10 days between the hottest and the coolest cluster during the summer period. The results of this study contribute to quantify the thermal intra-urban differences in the city of Florence, suggesting important applications in plant phenology, aerobiology, human health, urban planning, and biometeorology.