Urban Heat Island

It's a clear, cold night tonight in the Toledo area, and area temperatures range widely depending on whether the readings are taken in the city or the country. Temps in the heart of Toledo range from 17-19F while it is a chilly 9F out here in the township. This is a very common disparity known as the urban heat island effect.

Now it is my personal belief that the urban heat island effect is responsible for some...*some*...of the recent warming trend known as "global warming". Over the years in many locales, the official place of weather record (usually the city's main airport) has grown increasingly urban, as the cities have grown outward around the airports that were once on the far outskirts. This will undoubtedly have at least a small effect on official average temperatures over time.