Evaluation of spatial warming trend in the Middle East using Geographic Information System

The Middle East has experienced severe droughts and rising temperatures in various parts of the region in recent years, and these changes have caused a serious impact on society, the economy, and politics. Extensive research is necessary to address these issues and predict future temperature fluctuations in the area. The Middle East is a fragile region that would face critical conditions due to temperature increases and a lack of precipitation in the future. This research aimed to investigate temperature data from 720 network points in the Middle East, taken from the NOAA site at a 1*1 degree resolution. The data was processed using Office-Excel software and assessed using the Mann–Kendall method. The temperature variation was evaluated from 1979 to 2017, and the processed data were classified by Arc GIS software and geostatistical analysis, including kriging. The study showed that approximately 91 percent of the region experienced a significant temperature increase, with an average rise of about 1.32°C over 39 years (1979–2017). This indicates that the warming trend in this region is greater than the total warming of the Earth, and almost half of the region experienced temperature increases ranging from 1 to 2°C. The central areas of Yemen have experienced the highest temperature rise, with increases of more than 5 degrees. As a result, extensive surveys are necessary to determine the causes and consequences of this phenomenon.