Impact of rapid urbanization on microclimate of urban areas of Pakistan

Urbanization tendency is growing rapidly in the developing countries. It may cause microclimatic change in these areas. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the impact of past and present urbanization on the microclimate of cities. Microclimatic change and its relation to the rapidly increasing population in a northern city (Abbottabad) of Pakistan were investigated. This is one of the wettest cities in Pakistan, which receives the maximum of its rainfall in the monsoon rainfall season. The climatic data (temperature and precipitation) for the last 50 years were used for the study. A contrast was found between mean maximum and mean minimum temperature trends. The average increase in mean maximum temperature was +/- 0.67 degrees C. The contribution of urban warming to the total mean annual temperature was 2.87 % in five decades. The average decrease in temperature was +/- 2 degrees C. The maximum temperature indicated a increasing trend while the minimum temperature had a decreasing trend with a declining rainfall.