New York City, like most large cities, is a heat island. With miles of paved surfaces, it is generally warmer than surrounding rural areas.
Within city limits, public display thermometers – on banks and gas stations – demonstrate this phenomenon on a micro scale. They are often positioned in the sun and over a concrete or asphalt surface that absorbs heat. As a result, they can read 5°F to 10°F higher than the city’s official air temperature taken in the more bucolic conditions of Central Park.
![Gas station thermometer reads 104F, but the official high temeprature for the day was 92F.](https://i0.wp.com/www.weathergamut.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/GasStation_NYC2013.jpg?resize=576%2C432)
The thermometer on this NYC gas station reads 104°F, but the official high temeprature for the day was 92°F.
Image Credit: The Weather Gamut