Urban heat islands are areas in cities that get hotter than surrounding rural areas. To understand them better, researchers studied how accurately different methods of measuring land cover types can predict these hotspots. They found that a simpler two-dimensional method, which doesn't account for surfaces hidden under trees, was almost as good as a more complex three-dimensional method. The hidden surfaces, like sidewalks and roads, were important in predicting urban heat islands, but the simpler method worked well enough. This research helps cities map hotspots and understand how urban areas contribute to rising temperatures.