Spatiotemporal Variation of Outdoor Heat Stress in Typical Coastal Cities Under the Influence of Summer Sea Breezes: An Analysis Based on Thermal Comfort Maps

Abstract

Amid intensifying global climate change, coastal cities are facing increased heat stress. The sea breeze plays a crucial role in mitigating the urban heat island effect and improving outdoor thermal comfort, warranting detailed investigation of its spatiotemporal impacts. This research, conducted in Sendai, Japan, combines the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with the Rayman thermal comfort model to assess the spatiotemporal evolution of the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) on typical sea breeze days, exploring heat stress patterns. The findings indicate significant PET reductions in the area due to sea breeze influence, although high heat stress persists in urban centers. The coastal zone (0–4 km) experiences the longest period of low heat stress, whereas the inland zone (20–26 km) suffers from poor thermal comfort. Heat stress intensifies in the northwestern inland regions, while improvement progresses from the coast inland. Vegetated areas reach low heat stress states earlier than built-up areas; both coastal and urban zones quickly revert to “no heat stress” conditions. The results demonstrate that the cooling effect of sea breezes decreases with distance, its efficacy hindered by urban environments, whereas vegetated lands prolong comfort inland. These insights are crucial for planning thermal environments in coastal cities.