Feel like you live in the hottest place in Johnson County? Here’s how you may find out
When summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees, it sometimes feels like you live in the hottest place in the state. Or at least the county.
Now, with the help of public health officials in Johnson and Wyandotte counties, you can find out if you actually do.
The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment is working with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County Public Health Department to map out the hottest spots in the two counties. And they are asking for help from residents.
Both departments are working with volunteers to identify “heat islands,” which are hotspots in Kansas neighborhoods where temperatures are higher due to factors such as lack of tree cover, extensive pavement or concrete.
The Johnson County health department says these hotspots can be 20 degrees warmer than nearby spots just down the street.
The weather in Kansas City this week is expected to see high temperatures over 100 degrees on multiple days, with the highest being 104 degrees on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
The hottest spots in Johnson and Wyandotte counties
Both organizations ask for the community’s help in identifying these heat islands. You can do that by adding a location to their interactive map on the Johnson County health department website.
The Johnson County health department reports on its website that the point added by residents will design the routes volunteers will take when measuring temperatures in possible heat islands.
When Johnson and Wyandotte county officials are finished planning the route, volunteers will act as community street scientists to gather heat data on Aug. 12, one of the year’s hottest days. Johnson County health officials say the date is subject to change.
Volunteers will collect data three times on Aug. 12, either early morning from 6-7 a.m., afternoon from 3-4 p.m. or evening from 7-8 p.m.
Anyone who volunteers can sign up for one, two or all shifts.
Sign up to volunteer
Volunteers must be 18 years or older to be assigned to a route based on the findings from the heat map. They will drive around their preferred county, which you can sign up for on the program’s website.
All volunteers under 18 must be with a parent or guardian who can drive them around, and any volunteers ages 14 and older can be a navigator. They can also sign up to be a “Heat Hub” volunteer, and help at volunteer check-in locations in Johnson or Wyandotte County.
Once you sign up, you must attend an orientation and finish a knowledge check to show you how to handle the equipment.
These virtual and in-person orientations will take place at the end of July and will take around 60 minutes. On the website, the Johnson County health department website said for volunteers to check their emails for more information.
