Assessing Urban Effects on the Climate of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo

In this work, major features of the urban effectd in the climate of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP) are described from the observational point of view considering the measurements carried out during the MCITY BRAZIL PROGRAM. Located in the subtropical zone (23^o32´51´´S, 46^o38´10´´W), at 60 km far from the Atlantic Ocean and 760 m above the mean sea level, the MRSP is formed by 39 cities that occupy 8,051 km², totalizing a population of 19,7 million inhabitants and a fleet of 6,390 million vehicles. The surface energy and radiation balance at the surface are estimated based on the observations carried out in the 3 micrometeorological platforms located at urban, suburban and rural areas.  Despite the distance from the ocean, surface wind analysis indicated that sea breeze, combined with the vertical evolution of the planetary boundary layer, defines the diurnal patterns the surface wind in the MRSP. The seasonal evolution of urban heat island indicate a maximum intensity of 6.3 ⁰C in February and a minimum of 1.9 ⁰C in July. The diurnal evolution of the urban heat island of São Paulo can be explained in terms of a combination of maritime circulation and solar heating effects.