St. Louis’ concrete-heavy neighborhoods are holding onto heat long after sunset, and it’s hitting communities still reeling from tornadoes the hardest.

ST. LOUIS — As St. Louis braces for several days of triple-digit heat, residents in parts of the city are feeling the temperature rise more intensely than others, especially in neighborhoods still recovering from recent tornadoes.

In north St. Louis, longtime resident Terry Miller is doing what he can to stay cool.

“This heat might get so bad that you can fry an egg off the concrete,” Miller said from the porch of his home, where he’s lived since 1967.

He’s lucky, he said, to have a bit of shade and a working air conditioner for now.

“God helped me with an air conditioner, and I’m running it cause I don’t want to die in the heat,” Miller said. “Luckily, I got a little air conditioner, but I need a fresh one.”

But not everyone in his neighborhood has a porch to sit on or a reliable way to cool off. And that’s where the urban heat island effect comes in, a phenomenon making areas like north St. Louis even hotter than their suburban counterparts.

Over the weekend, people used trees and umbrellas for shade.

Urban heat islands form when buildings and pavement absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, keeping city temperatures several degrees hotter than surrounding areas.”

Marshall Fahler, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the city’s infrastructure plays a major role.

“The urban area has more concrete, more asphalt, which is able to both heat up better than the surrounding areas as well as retain the heat at night,” Fahler explained.

That retained heat can lead to significant overnight temperature differences.

“The minimum temperatures at night in the city average about three degrees warmer,” he said. “That’s when you really see the urban heat island light up.”

What’s more, many neighborhoods in north St. Louis are still recovering from tornado damage, leaving some residents with damaged homes or limited access to power and cooling. Blue tarps are still visible on roofs.

“One of the vulnerabilities that’s unique this year is definitely north city … a lot of people don’t have adequate ways to escape the heat,” Fahler said.

A sprinkler system hooked to a fire hydrant on one corner created temporary cooling spots on the neighborhood sidewalk.


Cooling centers open across St. Louis

With dangerous heat levels forecasted through the week, officials are encouraging residents to take advantage of public cooling centers. 

The City of St. Louis, along with local nonprofits and emergency management teams, has opened several locations for those seeking shelter from the heat.

RELATED: St. Louis heat: Safety tips, cooling centers, utility resources


Things to remember

  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Limit outdoor activity.
  • Check on elderly neighbors and those without AC.
  • Never leave children or pets in vehicles.