Analyzing the Contribution of Urban Land Uses to the Formation of Urban Heat Islands in Urmia City

An Urban Heat Island (UHI) is an important variable in climate and environmental studies. Nowadays, population growth and urbanization development are the most important factors affecting the temperature increase in urban areas, which cause the creation of heat islands in urban areas. (1) Background: This study explores the influence of major land uses on the creation of Urban Heat Islands in Urmia city, Iran. (2) Methods: To achieve the aim of this study, Landsat satellite data including Landsat 5 and 8 imageries from the time periods of 1990 and 2023 were used. With the series of data processing and analyses on vegetation cover and land surface temperature, the impact of main land uses on the creation of Urban Heat Islands and the intensification of their effects have been investigated. (3) Results: The analysis reveals that barren lands consistently exhibit the highest temperature, while garden lands show the lowest temperature across both periods. In addition, the spatial distribution of Urban Heat Islands demonstrates a clustered pattern throughout the study period, with hot spots mainly located in the northwestern and southwestern areas. (4) Conclusions: This study’s findings can be helpful for urban policymakers and planners to develop practical strategies to mitigate UHIs and improve climate resilience in cities.