MINNEAPOLIS — This summer you can get paid to be a "street scientist" if you can stand the heat.
Hennepin and Ramsey counties have been chosen to take part in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2024 Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaign.
The study measures or maps the hottest neighborhoods in 14 U.S. communities.
The project focuses on urban heat islands, "which are urban areas where the temperature can be significantly higher due to larger areas of concrete and other surfaces that radiate heat along with less tree canopy and greenspace to mitigate the heat," according to the news release.
Officials said the data collected will help communities come up with solutions aimed at protecting people living in the extremely hot areas.
"We know that underserved communities face more severe effects of climate change, including extreme heat," Ramsey County Board Chair Trista Martinson said in the news release. "This project will help us identify some of the communities that are most impacted by extreme heat and help us mitigate those impacts."
To help collect the data on urban heat, both counties are seeking volunteer community scientists.
Using heat sensors mounted on their cars, the "street scientists" will drive along designated routes in the morning, afternoon, and evening on one of the hottest days of the year. The heat sensors will record the temperature, humidity, time, and location. All volunteers will receive a $25 pre-paid debit card, according to the release.
The mapping project is scheduled to begin on Saturday, July 27, however, that date is subject to change based on weather conditions.
"We are asking for community members to get involved so we can better understand how the extreme heat affects their neighborhood and their community specifically," Hennepin County Board Chair, Irene Fernando, said in the release. "The focus is not just on heat, but how it impacts people. Getting the people that are most affected involved is critical."
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
