These psychedelic images reveal what your weather app isn’t telling you

Professor Vivek Shandas of Portland State University is conducting field research to demonstrate how standard weather reports often fail to capture localized temperature extremes. During recent observations on a Portland State University football field, Shandas highlighted a significant discrepancy between official ambient temperature readings and the actual heat radiating from the ground.

The research focuses on the impact of artificial surfaces, such as the synthetic turf on the university's field, which can retain and emit heat far more intensely than natural vegetation. By utilizing thermal imaging, the study aims to visualize these micro-climates, illustrating how built environments and synthetic materials can create heat conditions that differ substantially from the general forecasts provided by consumer weather applications.