Temporal and Spatial Variation of Climatic Comfort Zone Boundaries during Winter and Summer Seasons in Iraq

Abstract

The study examines the temporal and spatial variation of climatic comfort zone boundaries during the winter and summer seasons in Iraq. The results indicate that during the month of December, there was a region of mild cold climate in the stations of Mosul and Kirkuk, with the percentage area of the mild cold region being 6.0% in the first period. In the second period, this percentage decreased to 2.7%. Additionally, a region of moderate (comfortable) climate appeared, covering 94.0% of the area in the first period, which increased to 97.3% in the second period. In January, the mild cold climate region accounted for 7.7% of the area in the first period, and the area decreased by 1.4% in the second period. The moderate comfortable region occupied 92.3% in the first period and increased to 98.6% in the second period. Notably, January, representing the middle of winter, showed minimal variations between the two study periods in terms of the comfort zone regions.Regarding the summer months, the mild cold climate region appeared in June, accounting for 4.3%. In the second period, it was limited to only two stations, Mosul and Kirkuk, with a percentage of 1.0%. The moderate climate region covered 95.7% of the area. In July, three stations fell within the hot region during the first period, accounting for 9.7%. However, in the second period, these stations shifted towards higher values, moving to the very hot region. The very hot region during the first period included five stations (Baghdad, Hay, Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, Basra), covering a large area of 395,815.4 km2 and occupying 90.3% of the region. In the second period, all stations shifted to the very hot region, resulting in a significantly wider area of 438,295 km2, accounting for 100% of the region. These logical results indicate a trend towards increasing temperatures in Iraq.