August 21 through 23 were three of the hottest days of summer 2018 in the mid-Atlantic. Heat shimmered above the pavement, children sought refuge in public spray parks, and commuters hurried between air-conditioned trains and offices. At the same time, a corps of citizen scientists took to the streets of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, with temperature sensors mounted on their cars and bicycles. Taking measurements every second, they set out to map their cities’ hottest places.
![Youth from Groundwork RVA join with Jeremy Hoffman to look for hot spots in Richmond, Virginia, using a forward-looking infrared thermal camera. (Image credit: Courtesy of Jeremy Hoffman) Youth from Groundwork RVA join with Jeremy Hoffman to look for hot spots in Richmond, Virginia, using a forward-looking infrared thermal camera.](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/groundwork-rva-team-cropped.jpg?itok=G11sOGKW)
Youth from Groundwork RVA join with Jeremy Hoffman to look for hot spots in Richmond, Virginia, using a forward-looking infrared thermal camera. (Image credit: Courtesy of Jeremy Hoffman)