A Study on Vulnerability of Alahsa Governorate to Generate Urban Heat Islands

The purpose of this study is to investigate Alahsa Governorate status and its vulnerability to generate urban heat islands. Alahsa Governorate is a famous oasis in the Arabic Peninsula including several oil centers. Extensive literature review was done to collect previous relative data on the urban heat island of Alahsa Governorate. Data used for the purpose of this research were collected from authorized bodies who control weather station networks over Alahsa Governorate, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Although, the number of weather station networks within the region is very limited and the analysis using GIS software and its techniques is difficult and limited, the data analyzed confirm an increase in temperature for more than 2 °C from 2004 to 2014. Such increase is considerable whenever human health and comfort are the concern. The increase of temperature within one decade confirms the availability of urban heat islands. The study concludes that, Alahsa Governorate is vulnerable to create urban heat islands and more attention should be drawn to strategic planning of the governorate that is developing with a high pace and considerable increasing levels of urbanization.

• Ilham S. M. Elsayed

• Urban heat island
• Alahsa Governorate
• weather station
• population density.

[1] Alahsa Municipality. 2015. The Current Conditions of the Present Alahsa: Second Report. Alahsa Municipality, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.
[2] Elsayed, I. S. 2012a. “A Study on the UHI of the City of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.” King Abdul-Aziz University Journal, Sciences of Meteorology Environment and Arid Land Agriculture. 23 (2)
[3] Elsayed, I. S. 2012b. “Mitigation of the Urban Heat Island of the City of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.” Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, IDOSI Publications. 11 (11): 1602-1613
[4] Google maps: https://www.google.com.sa/maps, retrieved on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
[5] Mohamed, F. Atta. 1999. “Climatic Conditions in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia.” Research Consulting Service Center Journal: 1 (1).
[6] Smoyer, K. E. 1997. Environmental Risk Factors in Heat Wave Mortality in St. Louis. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Minnesota, Minnesota, MN.
[7] Streutker, D. R. 2003. A Study of the Urban Heat Island of Houston, Texas. Ph. D. Thesis, Rice University, Taxes, TX.
[8] Valazquez-Lozada, A. 2002. Urban Heat Island Effect Analysis for San Juan, Puerto Rico. M. Sc. Thesis, University of Puerto Rica, San Juan.