Urban Heat Island (Uhi) Effect: The Rise of Land Surface Temperature in Cebu City, Philippines

Temperature differences between the urban and surrounding areas have resulted from rapid urbanization. This study tries to systematically understand the urban heat island phenomenon in Cebu City by determining the land surface temperature using satellite images in 2010 and 2018. Land Surface Temperature (LST) was determined using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) approach. The results were correlated to spatial metrics to identify its influence on the spatial variation of LST in Cebu City. Results indicated that the mean LST in Cebu City increased from 220C to 250C from 2010 to 2018.  In 2018, the built-up area contributed the most LST, followed by forest and bare land, with 28.40 0C, 26.25 0C, and 25.85 0C, respectively. The results indicated that the landscape metrics are highly negatively correlated to LST, mainly attributed to the increase in forest area in Cebu City