Linking Land Use Change to Surface Temperature and Thermal Discomfort: Evidence from Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Rapid unplanned urbanization, particularly in developing countries, significantly alters land surface characteristics and microclimatic conditions through LULC changes that increase urban surface temperatures, damage vegetation and water bodies, and contribute to ecosystem degradation, climate change, and accelerated global warming. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal relationships among changes in LULC, surface temperature, and the DI in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh. Satellite images were analyzed for the years 2004, 2015, and 2025, along with meteorological data, using GIS and RS techniques. The results show that the proportion of natural bodies is decreasing because of rapid expansion of built-up areas, resulting a sharp rise in surface temperature and higher DI values. The LULC classification achieved satisfactory accuracy, with overall accuracy ranging from 86–90% and…