Using satellite data, scientists measure the temperature of the city and can, for example, indicate to city planners where construction of a new park or preserving a forest area would help to cool parts of the city. Temperatures in New York City have been climbing for at least a century. As another example, the results of scientific studies indicate that as the city's surface temperature rises, there will be an increase in levels of smog, which can lead to public health and environmental concerns. Researchers have found that the impact of ground-level ozone are likely to become an increasing concern over the coming decades. By evaluating the current state of the atmosphere, the team can make better predictions about how future air quality will affect respiratory health and governments can take actions to help limit pollution, according to Rosenzweig.
Climate change can also affect coastal regions.
Sea-level has risen in the New York areas by between 9 and 15 inches over the last 100 years over the region. This observed rise is likely due to both glacial retreat and the warming trend during the 20th century. As sea level continues to rise, there is an increasing threat of more damaging storm surges and an increase in the frequency of 100-year flood events, which could be occurring as often as every 4 years by the year 2080 if projections are correct. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with hydrologists and oceanographers annually estimate future beach erosion rates due to sea-level rise. Rates of beach erosion are expected to double or even triple in the region by the 2020s.