The relationship between land cover and micro-climates at weather observation points in Japan

Abstract

This paper is the effect of land cover changes on city climate using remote sensing data. Data from two different times over a fifteen year period were analyzed. Land cover was classified in units of about 600m by 600m in size at 314 weather observation points and the relationship to climate changes was analyzed. At 231 of the 314 points, there was no change in land cover. At 27 points, the land cover had an urbanization trend. At points with no change, the mean annual temperature gradient was 0.051°C per year, and at urbanized points, the mean annual temperature gradient was 0.061°C per year. It was also found that latitude and land cover have a large influence on the temperature gradient from the results of factor analysis done using type I quantification.