COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN RURAL AND URBAN SETTING OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

Ariko, J.D.*, Sawa, B.A., Abdulhamed, I.A., Abdulsalam, J.A. and Adegbehin, A.B.

This study compared Temperature and Relative Humidity between Urban core (Central Business District) of Kaduna Metropolis and a Rural Control station cited in a suburb of Kaduna town (Goni Gora). Temperature/Relative Humidity USB data loggers were used for data acquisition for one month. A total of 8064 temperature and relative humidity values were collected each and summarized to 672 by finding hourly mean. 1hour mean temperature and relative humidity values for urban core and control station were subjected to student “t” test to determine if there is significant difference in temperature and relative humidity between the two sampled sites. The “t” test results showed a significant difference in both temperature and relative humidity between the urban core and the control station at 0.05 statistical significance level. The highest temperature value recorded in the urban core was 33°C and the lowest value was 20.5°C. The rural control station had a high temperature value of 35°C and a lowest value of 19°C. The relative humidity values exceeded 100% many times in the urban core. In the control station, there was no time a relative humidity value greater than 100% was recorded. The study observed that the urban core is warmer and more humid than the rural surrounding. This study recommends proper urban planning, through creation of open spaces and green areas as a way of improving the livability of the urban area through increased heat circulation and absorption.

Key words: Kaduna State, Relative humidity, Rural setting, Temperature, Urban setting.