Abstract: This paper analyzes the occurrence of urban heat islands in the City of Mostar using satellite imagery from the Landsat mission. Land Surface Temperature (LST) was derived from the thermal band for the summer period from 2021 to 2025. The analysis was conducted in a GIS environment using LST and spectral indices NDVI, NDWI, NDBI and BSI, which enable the identification of vegetated areas, water bodies, built-up surfaces and bare soil. Based on these parameters, the Environmental Criticality Index (ECI) was calculated to assess the level of thermal vulnerability in different parts of the urban area. The results indicate a clear relationship between land cover characteristics and LST and ECI values. Built-up areas and bare soil are associated with higher temperatures, while vegetation and water bodies exhibit a pronounced cooling effect. The obtained results, presented through an interactive web map, provide insight into the spatial distribution of urban heat islands and may serve as a basis for urban planning and increasing the proportion of green areas.

Keywords: urban heat islands (UHI), environmental criticality index (ECI), urban green islands, land surface temperature (LST), urban heat island web map, Mostar

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