Spatial Analysis of Relative Humidity and Its Effect on Baghdad City for The Years 2008, 2013 and 2018

Abstract

Urbanization phenomenon did expand rapidly in Baghdad-Iraq due to security improvement and the human desire for daily services availability, where reducing the agricultural lands "Greenlands" negatively affected the climate rate. The relationship between urban expansion and relative humidity was studied from 2008 to 2018 using remote sensing data (satellite images of Landsat 5 and Landsat 8) and relative humidity rate data obtained from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Data were processed and analyzed using ArcGIS v: 10.2. Results showed changes in human activities (land use (LU)) and urban areas, where increasing urbanization declines vegetation and turbulence climate. The study provides a significant correlation between increasing urbanization and relative humidity rate. Thus, the unintended use of the land may affect the local climate.