Evaluation of spatio-temporal pattern of surface urban heat island phenomena at Jorhat, India

Abstract

The study has been conducted using IR (infrared) thermometer over 16 sites at Jorhat town for a period of 5 months. The study area constitutes urban, suburban, and peripheral rural locations. The study focuses on depicting the diurnal, monthly, and seasonal dynamics of ST condition of Jorhat town. The diurnal pattern revealed the peak ST at midday for all months, while the lowest ST is in the morning during July, September, and October, and conversely in the afternoon period during the months of November to December. The month of October displayed a maximum ST at 38.30 °C. Though, the maximum range of ST has been identified in the month of November (9.48 °C). Seasonally, the overall monsoon depicts a higher ST than post-monsoon and winter. But remarkably, the maximum intensity of ST was investigated in the post-monsoonal period. Interestingly, the RST and BWT displayed a dissimilar pattern showing the peak ST in the month of July and October while the lowest is during in the month of December respectively. The concentration of built environment with less vegetation cover is considered as a causative factor for the development of the peak ST all throughout the study period in the central part of the town.