Hot & Vulnerable: An Integrated Heatwave Risk Index for Caribbean Cities

As climate change accelerates, Puerto Rico has become a flashpoint for compounding climate risks—extreme heat events now frequently coincide with power grid instability, disproportionately impacting vulnerable communities. This project introduces an Integrated Heatwave and Power Outage Risk Index focused on Puerto Rico’s urban areas. By leveraging Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis data for heatwave detection, ESA WorldCover for urban land cover, and socioeconomic vulnerability indicators, the project identifies zones where heat exposure intersects with electrical infrastructure fragility. Proxy indicators such as nighttime lights and outage reports will be used to assess grid sensitivity, with outputs tailored to guide emergency response and climate adaptation planning.