Urban?Rural Gradient in Urban Heat Island Variations Responsive to Large?Scale Human Activity Changes During Chinese New Year Holiday

Large-scale human activity changes in megacities during Chinese New Year (CNY) are believed to significantly affect urban heat islands (UHIs). However, the urban-rural gradient UHI variations responsive cities remains largely unclear. Using in-situ surface air temperature obtained from a meteorological network that includes 3000-plus stations, we show mean intensity (UHII) 31 capitals is 0.52 ± 0.23 K CNY holiday and 0.77 0.29 reference period, indicating UHII reduction of 0.25 0.20 holiday. The reduced decreased more city core (0.54 K) periphery (0.071 K). We find these reductions were larger at night than day northern subtropical warm temperate climates other climates. These mainly attributable decline anthropogenic release.