Abstract. Radiative surface temperature maps of Houston, Texas were derived
from satellite sensor data acquired at approximately 0400 LST on 27 separate occasions over a two-year period. Urban-rural temperature diVerences were determined for 21 of these cases by modelling the urban heat island as a two- dimensional Gaussian surface superimposed on a planar rural background. The purpose of this study was to characterise the complete urban heat island in
magnitude and spatial extent without the use of in situ measurements and to
determine whether a correlation exists between heat island magnitude and rural
temperature. The urban heat island magnitude was found to be inversely correl- ated with rural temperature, while the spatial extent was found to be independent
of both heat island magnitude and rural temperature.