Determining the Hot Heat Islands Surface Temperature for Kurdistan, Iraq

The analysis of seasonal thermal hotspot distribution is essential for understanding surface temperature dynamics, particularly in regions characterized by complex topography and climatic variability, such as the Kurdistan Region. Such studies primarily depend on Land Surface Temperature (LST) data derived from remote sensing to evaluate the impacts of seasonal fluctuations and land use changes. This study investigates the seasonal variation in thermal hotspot distribution across the Kurdistan Region using both daytime and nighttime LST data obtained via the Google Earth Engine platform, covering the period from 2001 to 2024. Pixels were classified as hot or non-hot based on a statistical threshold (μ + 2σ), and the proportion of hotspot areas relative to the total regional area was calculated. The results reveal significant spatial variability in hotspot distribution across seasons. During winter, hotspots were predominantly concentrated in the southern and western parts of the region. In contrast, summer exhibited reduced hotspot intensity due to a more uniform thermal profile. The highest daytime hotspot activity was recorded in spring, with a rate of 1.05%, likely linked to the heterogeneous land cover and its variable thermal properties. Autumn showed the highest proportion of nighttime hotspots, reaching 0.97%, which may be attributed to prolonged heat retention by certain surfaces, especially in urban areas. These findings highlight the critical role of surface characteristics and land use in shaping diurnal and seasonal thermal behavior at the regional scale.