Assessing Urban Heat Island Effects from Urbanization in Skardu Using Remote Sensing (1994–2024)

Abstract

The thermal environment and  Land  Surface Temperature  ( LST )  are both  directly  impacted by  the  drastic changes in natural  Land  Use and Land Cover  ( LULC )  brought about by rapid urbanization . Over the three-decade period from 1994 to 2024, this  study  offers  a  thorough examination  of the thermal  environment  of  Pakistan's  high-altitude  Skardu District . We quantified LULC shifts and changes in land surface temperature (LST) using  multi-temporal Landsat datasets (TM, ETM+, and OLI)  that had been  processed  using  Google Earth Engine (GEE) and ArcMap 10. 8. According to the findings, there has been  a  significant increase  in the built-up area, which  has grown  from 5. 67% (147. 42 km2) in 1994 to 9. 29% (241. 54 km2) in 2024. At the same time,  the majority of  the land , which was unproductive, shrank  from 57. 75% to 52. 74%. The mean LST increased significantly as a result of these spatial changes,  increasing  from 15. 89°C in 1994 to 25. 53°C in 2024. The analysis  demonstrates  a strong positive  link  between the  spread  of  impermeable  surfaces and regional warming,  suggesting  the  emergence  of a Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) effect in mountain ecosystems. In order for climatologists and  urban planners to  create laws  for climate-resilient mountain  towns, these results are essential.