Advances in the monitoring and forecasting of urban extreme meteorological events : a bibliometric review
(2026) In Natural Hazards 122(5).- Abstract
Urban meteorology, the study of atmospheric phenomena in urban areas, is vital for understanding the dynamic interactions between rapid urbanization and environmental changes. Over the past two decades (2004–2024), urban heat islands (UHIs), extreme rainfall, pollution, and temperature anomalies have intensified, adversely affecting human health, infrastructure, and ecosystems worldwide. The present study analyses 1,000 articles to identify global research patterns, revealing an annual publication growth rate of 26.2%. In addition, 200 articles were selected through a PRISMA-based systematic screening process for detailed bibliometric and review analysis. Thematic insights highlight that land use and land cover (LULC), aerosols, and... (More)
Urban meteorology, the study of atmospheric phenomena in urban areas, is vital for understanding the dynamic interactions between rapid urbanization and environmental changes. Over the past two decades (2004–2024), urban heat islands (UHIs), extreme rainfall, pollution, and temperature anomalies have intensified, adversely affecting human health, infrastructure, and ecosystems worldwide. The present study analyses 1,000 articles to identify global research patterns, revealing an annual publication growth rate of 26.2%. In addition, 200 articles were selected through a PRISMA-based systematic screening process for detailed bibliometric and review analysis. Thematic insights highlight that land use and land cover (LULC), aerosols, and socio-economic factors significantly influence urban climates. Advanced technologies such as satellite remote sensing (MODIS, Sentinel-5P, Cartosat-3), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and models (WRF-Chem, HYSPLIT) have been pivotal in monitoring and predicting urban atmospheric phenomena. Despite these advancements, challenges persist in integrating localized urban features into predictive models, especially in Indian cities due to sparse high-resolution observational infrastructure and limited real-time data assimilation capabilities. These gaps necessitate capacity building and development of high-resolution observational setups. The study underscores the evolving research landscape, moving from foundational urban climate studies towards resilience, governance, citizen science, and decentralized early-warning systems. Collaboration networks reveal a strong international partnership ethos, with significant contributions from USA, China and Germany, and emerging participation from India and Southeast Asia. The findings emphasize the need for interdisciplinary, data-driven approaches and recommend leveraging advanced satellite data for better risk management. The integration of innovative technologies and robust policy frameworks will be critical in enhancing urban climate resilience and sustainable development, especially amid the accelerating impacts of climate change and urban growth.
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- author
- Samanta, Rajeeb ; Singh, Vivek ; Bajpai, Ranjana ; Lodh, Abhishek LU ; Routray, Ashish and Srivastava, Aman
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Bibliometric analysis, GIS, Land use land cover, Urban heat island, Urban meteorology, WRF-Chem
- in
- Natural Hazards
- volume
- 122
- issue
- 5
- article number
- 186
- publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media B.V.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105033488796
- ISSN
- 0921-030X
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11069-025-07933-6
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2026.
- id
- d2124d52-6166-472c-9c50-a57db77a6b21
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-06 14:24:38
- date last changed
- 2026-08-14 04:39:09
@article{d2124d52-6166-472c-9c50-a57db77a6b21,
abstract = {{<p>Urban meteorology, the study of atmospheric phenomena in urban areas, is vital for understanding the dynamic interactions between rapid urbanization and environmental changes. Over the past two decades (2004–2024), urban heat islands (UHIs), extreme rainfall, pollution, and temperature anomalies have intensified, adversely affecting human health, infrastructure, and ecosystems worldwide. The present study analyses 1,000 articles to identify global research patterns, revealing an annual publication growth rate of 26.2%. In addition, 200 articles were selected through a PRISMA-based systematic screening process for detailed bibliometric and review analysis. Thematic insights highlight that land use and land cover (LULC), aerosols, and socio-economic factors significantly influence urban climates. Advanced technologies such as satellite remote sensing (MODIS, Sentinel-5P, Cartosat-3), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and models (WRF-Chem, HYSPLIT) have been pivotal in monitoring and predicting urban atmospheric phenomena. Despite these advancements, challenges persist in integrating localized urban features into predictive models, especially in Indian cities due to sparse high-resolution observational infrastructure and limited real-time data assimilation capabilities. These gaps necessitate capacity building and development of high-resolution observational setups. The study underscores the evolving research landscape, moving from foundational urban climate studies towards resilience, governance, citizen science, and decentralized early-warning systems. Collaboration networks reveal a strong international partnership ethos, with significant contributions from USA, China and Germany, and emerging participation from India and Southeast Asia. The findings emphasize the need for interdisciplinary, data-driven approaches and recommend leveraging advanced satellite data for better risk management. The integration of innovative technologies and robust policy frameworks will be critical in enhancing urban climate resilience and sustainable development, especially amid the accelerating impacts of climate change and urban growth.</p>}},
author = {{Samanta, Rajeeb and Singh, Vivek and Bajpai, Ranjana and Lodh, Abhishek and Routray, Ashish and Srivastava, Aman}},
issn = {{0921-030X}},
keywords = {{Bibliometric analysis; GIS; Land use land cover; Urban heat island; Urban meteorology; WRF-Chem}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{5}},
publisher = {{Springer Science and Business Media B.V.}},
series = {{Natural Hazards}},
title = {{Advances in the monitoring and forecasting of urban extreme meteorological events : a bibliometric review}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11069-025-07933-6}},
doi = {{10.1007/s11069-025-07933-6}},
volume = {{122}},
year = {{2026}},
}