The study investigates how soil temperatures impact the atmosphere in cities using an urban climate model. Soil temperature has a significant role in modulating surface energy fluxes and atmospheric conditions, with cloud cover playing a critical factor. Incorporating subsurface urban heat islands in climate modeling is essential for understanding the complex interplay between soil and atmosphere, offering valuable guidance for improving urban climate resilience and mitigation strategies.

Utilizing the urban microclimate model PALM-4U, we show that temperature anomalies of ± 5 K at a depth of 2 m in the soil can impact atmospheric potential air temperatures within idealized domains. The impact depends on the season, time of day, land cover, and lateral boundary conditions of the domain. The magnitude of change depends mostly on seasonality and the time of day, ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 K. Land cover influences the absolute temperature but has a smaller impact on the magnitude.