Assessment of Urban Heat Island in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Mapping temperature zones in urban centers is an important reference for urban planning and construction but has received limited attention in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. This study investigates and maps temperature zones within selected cities in the region. Ambient and land surface temperature (LST) measurements were taken during wet and dry seasons across seven states using Landsat 8 satellite imagery and weather stations installed in the study areas. For Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, dry-season LST readings were highest at Point 9 near the FGN Medical Centre (31.12 °C) and lowest at Point 4 near the State Entrance Gate in Igbogene (28.32 °C), with other areas ranging from 28.24 °C to 30.65 °C. Wet-season LST varied from 24.87 °C to 35.15 °C, with Emiringi Road, Okutukutu, Amasoma Road, Okaka, and Oxbow Lake identified as high-temperature zones. Additional hotspots included Ekeki Motor Park, Swali Market, Opolo, and Okutukutu. In Calabar, Cross River State, the wet-season peak was recorded at Point 3 (Mbukpa, a densely populated residential area) at 30.57 °C higher than in the dry season, while the lowest reading occurred at Point 8 on Target Road (28.10 °C). In Asaba, LST ranged from 25.56 °C to 29.88 °C. Ambient temperatures in the dry season ranged from 26.40 °C to 37.20 °C, with relative humidity between 51.78% and 77.52% and north-easterly winds at 1.01–3.25 m/s. In the wet season, temperatures ranged from 24.33 °C to 32.00 °C, relative humidity from 58.50% to 92.16%, and southerly winds at 0.63–2.51 m/s. Several sites, including Asaba Bridge Head and Inebisi Junction, recorded comparatively lower LST and ambient temperatures during the wet season.