Land Use Change and Its Impacts on Land Surface Temperature in Galle City, Sri Lanka

Over the past two decades, Galle City, Sri Lankahas experienced a significant 3.2 °C increase in land surface temperature (LST), driven by rapid urban expansion and land use changes. Built-up areas, which grew by 38%, now exhibit the highest mean LSTs (ranging from 22.7 °C to 26.3 °C between 1996 and 2019), while vegetation cover declined by 26%. The study, using multi-temporal satellite data and post-classification change detection techniques, reveals that newly developed built-up areas—often replacing vegetated land—show the most pronounced LST increases (5.5 °C). Conversely, new vegetation patches exhibit minimal temperature changes. These findings underscore critical challenges for urban planners in mitigating heat-related impacts on livability within this historic coastal city.

Dissanayake, D. (2020). Land Use Change and Its Impacts on Land Surface Temperature in Galle City, Sri Lanka. Climate, 8(5), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli8050065