Sittenfeld has spent the last two decades studying Boston's "urban heat island effect," a phenomenon where certain neighborhoods become significantly hotter than others due to dense development, asphalt, a lack of green space and historical inequities in city planning.

Boston is facing a heatwave with temperatures potentially breaking records, reaching the 90s today and near 97°F tomorrow.

As another bout of sweltering heat is set to hit Massachusetts, the MBTA is alerting riders that the extreme heat could cause delays on the commuter rail on Friday.

A surge of heat tied to a shifting dome over the Plains will push east late this week, sending temperatures soaring in the Northeast. New York City and Boston could approach 100 degrees Friday.

There are some proven steps that cities can take to help cool the air – planting trees that provide shade and moisture, for example. But do these steps pay off everywhere?

The blast of heat prompted advisories across much of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and in Southern New Hampshire and Maine.

The heat index, or how it feels with humidity factored in, will rise into the triple digits for millions as the hot dome of high pressure engulfs the central and eastern states.