Heat in Plzeň by neighbourhood
On a hot day the gap between a baking street and a shady neighbourhood full of trees can be bigger than you would expect. Where Plzeň overheats in summer, where it stays cool and what to look for in a flat.
What a heat island is
A city warms up more than the countryside around it in summer: roofs, asphalt and concrete soak up the sun during the day and give the heat back slowly at night. This is called the urban heat island. You feel it most at night, when the hot streets don’t have time to cool down and it is hard to sleep in a flat. Trees, lawns and water do the opposite: they give shade and cool the air by evaporating water.
Which neighbourhoods overheat and which don’t
We compare the surface temperature on summer days from Landsat satellite images, as the difference from the city average, for 14 neighbourhoods. The coolest surface is in Bolevec (-5.4 °C), Božkov (-2.7 °C) and Újezd (-1.2 °C). The ones that overheat most are Jižní Předměstí (+3.3 °C), Východní Předměstí (+2.9 °C) and Skvrňany (+2.3 °C).
Plzeň’s coolest neighbourhoods in summer
- -5.4 °C against the city average Bolevec Plzeň 1
- -2.7 °C against the city average Božkov Plzeň 2-Slovany
- -1.2 °C against the city average Újezd Plzeň 4
- -0.3 °C against the city average Doudlevce Plzeň 3
- -0.3 °C against the city average Litice Plzeň 6-Litice
- +0.0 °C against the city average Doubravka Plzeň 4
- +0.6 °C against the city average Severní Předměstí Plzeň 1
- +0.8 °C against the city average Černice Plzeň 2-Slovany
- +0.9 °C against the city average Koterov Plzeň 2-Slovany
- +1.2 °C against the city average Lobzy Plzeň 4
This is the temperature of the surface (roofs, streets, lawns) at the moment of the image, not the air temperature. It still shows the differences between neighbourhoods well: where the surface is warmer, the air and above all the nights tend to be warmer too.
Trees cool the most
The largest share of land under tree and shrub canopy is in Bolevec (61 %), Božkov (39 %) and Skvrňany (37 %). A tree in front of a building shades the façade and the pavement and can cool a street noticeably in summer, so look at the greenery in the street itself, not just at a park a few blocks away.
Plzeň’s neighbourhoods with the most trees
- 61 % of the area under trees Bolevec Plzeň 1
- 39 % of the area under trees Božkov Plzeň 2-Slovany
- 37 % of the area under trees Skvrňany Plzeň 3
- 33 % of the area under trees Doudlevce Plzeň 3
- 29 % of the area under trees Doubravka Plzeň 4
- 27 % of the area under trees Severní Předměstí Plzeň 1
- 21 % of the area under trees Černice Plzeň 2-Slovany
- 20 % of the area under trees Koterov Plzeň 2-Slovany
- 19 % of the area under trees Lobzy Plzeň 4
- 19 % of the area under trees Litice Plzeň 6-Litice
What to look for in a flat
- Floor: a flat under a flat roof without insulation gets the hottest in summer. Attic and top-floor flats need a well-insulated roof.
- Windows: south- and especially west-facing windows catch the afternoon sun. Ask whether external blinds or shutters can be fitted: shading outside works much better than inside.
- Ventilation: a flat with windows on two sides of the building can be aired by a through draught at night. The courtyard side tends to be quieter and often cooler.
- Surroundings: trees in the street, a park or water nearby do more than the neighbours’ air conditioning. A hot car park or a large area of roofs under the windows gives the heat back at night.
- An older brick building with thick walls stays cool longer than a light structure; in new builds, ask about shading and heat-recovery ventilation.
Frequently asked questions
Where is it coolest in Plzeň in summer?
According to satellite images, the coolest summer surface is in Bolevec (-5.4 °C against the city average), Božkov (-2.7 °C) and Újezd (-1.2 °C). Trees, woods and water do most of the cooling.
Which part of Plzeň overheats the most in summer?
The warmest surface is in Jižní Předměstí (+3.3 °C against the city average), Východní Předměstí (+2.9 °C) and Skvrňany (+2.3 °C). What overheats are mainly roofs, asphalt and concrete without shade.
Where are the most trees in Plzeň?
The largest share of land under tree and shrub canopy is in Bolevec (61 %), Božkov (39 %) and Skvrňany (37 %), based on the satellite land cover map.
