Ghent University studies urban micro-climatic differences within Ghent
Tuesday 11 October: First time below 0°C ... in Melle
After a very mild september with even some tropical days (Did we have a heatwave in Gent during summer 2016?), it goes fast now. This morning the first negative temperatures were measured. In the rural location of Melle the mercury dropped for a short time below the freezing point. After the evacuation of the clouds responsible for some light showers yesterday afternoon (max. 2 l/m^2 in Honda) and helped by the absence of wind the temperature made a steep descent during the night. This resulted in Melle around sunrise in the first below 0°C temperatures of the season.
Temperature evolution (5-min averages) for the night from 10/10/16 to 11/10/16. The clear and very calm conditions gave rise to strong nighttime cooling.
At the other weather stations the minimal temperatures were still far from the freezing point. The larger heat capacity of the urban environment and the specific 3D urban geometry limit the nighttime cooling in the city. In the historical city center, for example, minima above 6°C were registered. We see the nighttime heat island we found last summer confirmed in autumn.
