Seasonal and Spatial Assessment of the Urban Heat Island Effect and Land Surface Temperature in Nagpur Using Landsat Remote Sensing Data

Harsh Kailash Shinde, Sanjay V Balamwar, Sanaskar Shete

Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity and Land Surface Temperature (LST) variations are critical
indicators of urban environmental change in rapidly growing cities. This study examines spatial and
temporal UHI and LST patterns in Nagpur using Landsat 8 and 9 thermal imagery for January and
May of 2023 and 2024, capturing seasonal and inter-annual variations. Supervised classification
was applied to map Land Use Land Cover (LULC) classes in 2024, and LST was derived using
standard radiometric conversion workflows. Comparative analysis between years revealed LST mean
variations ranging from 27.4°C to 29.9°C across seasons, with UHI intensities spanning from -19.9°C
to 18.3°C. Strong correlations between LULC types and surface temperatures underscore the influence
of built-up areas and vegetation on urban thermal patterns. This integrated remote sensing assessment
provides actionable insights for urban thermal management and supports climate-responsive urban
planning in mid-sized Indian cities.