Human-biometeorological assessment of the urban heat island in a city with complex topography - The case of Stuttgart, Germany

The spatial and temporal differences of climate, urban heat island and future conditions were assessed for Stuttgart, a city located in complex topography in Southwest Germany. The present and future urban climate conditions were analysed using hourly measured data from 2000 to 2011 of 5 measuring stations and data from regional climate simulations. The urban heat island intensity was quantified applying thermal indices as Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) and compared to weather type classifications. In Stuttgart, wind speed was mostly less than 3 ms � 1