Geospatial approach to analyse the impact of urban development on the urban heat island in Hisar city, Western Haryana, India

Abstract The significant influence of urban development on land surface temperature (LST) was always evident. Here, a study of the temperature increases in Hisar city from 1991 to 2022 was conducted using Landsat data. The extent of thermal comfort in Hisar based on the urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI) was also evaluated. A land-use change map was used to calculate land-cover change, the NDVI was used to calculate vegetation coverage, and the NDBI was used to assess building cover. Over time, the UHI effect over Hisar city has significantly increased. It was found that built-up areas greatly affected the LST, especially at greater built-up densities. From 1991 to 2022, the minimum LST increased from 17.02°C to 37.40°C. Additionally, the highest temperature in 2022 increased to 47.24°C from 30.00°C in 1991. An inverse correlation was found between the LST and NDVI, which indicates that greenery has a debilitating effect on urban temperatures. However, the NDBI and LST, are positively correlated, indicating that urbanization intensifies the LST and causes the creation of urban heat islands (UHIs). The level of comfort for urban residents decreased during 1991–2022. Thus, urban heat management and sustainable city development require proper heat action plans.