Abstract
This study aims to investigate spatial and temporal dynamics and relationship between air temperature and five air humidity parameters (relative humidity, water vapor pressure, absolute humidity, specific humidity, and vapor pressure deficit) in Novi Sad, Serbia, based on two-year data (December 2015–December 2017). The analysis includes different urban areas of Novi Sad, which are delineated in five built (urban) types of local climate zones (LCZ) (LCZ 2, LCZ 5, LCZ 6, LCZ 8, and LCZ 9), and one land cover (natural) local climate zone (LCZ A) located outside the urban area. Temporal analysis included annual, seasonal, and monthly dynamics of air temperature and air humidity parameters, as well as their patterns during the extreme periods (heat and cold wave). The results showed that urban dry island (UDI) occurs in densely urbanized LCZ 2 from February to October, unlike other urban LCZs. The analysis of the air humidity dynamics during the heat wave shows that UDI intensity is most pronounced during the daytime, but also in the evening (approximately until midnight) in LCZ 2. However, lower UDI intensity is observed in the afternoon, in other urban LCZs (LCZ 6, LCZ 8, and LCZ 9) and occasionally in the later afternoon in LCZ 5. Regression analysis confirms the relationship between air temperature and each of the analyzed air humidity parameters.
Highlights
Population growth and climate change are addressed to be major challenges in urban areas
Negative Urban Dry Island Intensity (UDII) values for relative humidity (RH), water vapor pressure (Ea), saturated water vapor pressure (Es), absolute humidity (AH), specific humidity (Q), and positive UDII value for vapor pressure deficit (VPD) indicate that the urban area is drier than its surrounding rural area, and vice versa [3]
local climate zones (LCZ) A represents the zone with dense trees on a local scale, where evapotranspiration rate is higher than in other urban LCZs in Novi Sad; and land cover zones are dense trees (LCZ A) can be considered as a natural LCZ in the vicinity of Novi Sad
Summary
Population growth and climate change are addressed to be major challenges in urban areas. There is a substantial number of studies on various specific aspects of urban climate, but the changes in atmospheric moisture in urban areas have been neglected [2,3,4], even though they affect human health, energy consumption, ecological systems, and thermal comfort [4,5,6], though recent studies report minor influence of humidity on human thermal comfort [7]. The water content of the urban atmosphere is low, especially in daytime, compared to the surrounding environment [10]. This situation is known as the urban dry island (UDI) [11], which precisely means that humidity levels are lower in urban centers and progressively increase toward peripheral areas [1]. According to Yang et al [13] and Luo and
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