How did the loss of lakes contribute to Mexico City’s urban heat island?

The drainage of the lakes surrounding Mexico City significantly contributed to the formation of an urban heat island by removing the natural temperature-moderating effects of the water bodies.1

Previously, these lakes helped regulate the basin's temperature, preventing it from becoming excessively hot or cold, and contributed to higher levels of relative humidity. The loss of these water surfaces, coupled with the expansion of the city's built-up area, has altered the local climate in several ways:1

• Reduced Evaporative Cooling: The removal of the lakes eliminated the cooling effects provided by evaporation.1
• Increased Heat Retention: The replacement of natural landscapes with vast areas of paved surfaces, buildings, and machinery has created surfaces that retain more heat than vegetated or aquatic areas.1
• Impeded Moisture: Paved surfaces prevent moisture from entering the soil, further reducing the potential for natural cooling.1

These changes, combined with the valley's limited air circulation, have resulted in the city trapping heat, creating the thermal island effect.1