ABSTRACT

It is imperative that the impacts of a changing climate on human thermal comfort be explored. In this study, the energy budget index, Universal Thermal Comfort Index (UTCI) has been used to assess the human biometeorological conditions at mid-afternoon throughout the 12 months of a particular year in the city of Jos, North-Central Nigeria, using climate parameters—air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation—observed at 15:00LST as input into the Rayman model. Also evaluated was the monthly variation of heat sensation levels.

According to the findings of the study, relative humidity has the least correlation with UTCI (r =-0.61) and air temperature has the strongest (r=0.88).Maximum and minimum monthly thermal stress conditions were observed in March and August, respectively.

Thermal conditions were shown to be predominantly influenced by temperature; as a result, knowledge on bioclimatic conditions is significant in urban planning, tourism, and the health sectors as regional mean temperatures rise