Assessment of Bioclimatic Conditions of a Cold climate in Iran- Kurdistan using Wind Chill Index (WCI)

This study aimed to use the wind chill index (WCI) in one of the cold climates of Iran -Kurdistan to assess thermal comfort situation between 1995 and 2014 in different seasons of the province. Six synoptic stations of the Kurdistan province based on climatic categorization were studied. WCI was calculated using long-term metrological data from 1995 to 2014. The trend of the index changes was investigated and compared in two decades (1995-2004 vs 2005-2014). The bioclimatic condition of each station was determined for different seasons and months. In general, the lowest WCIs observed in July and August months, and highest WCIs were in February and January months. In addition, the prevailing bioclimatic situation was different from pleasant to very cold in this province. The results of the Mann -Whitney test show that the mean WCI has decreased in the second decade compared to the first decade. Significant relations were seen between two studied decades, except for Saqez and Zarrineh. The different cities of Kurdistan province are experiencing almost identical climate conditions. Moreover, the mean WC index decreased in the second decade compared to the first decade, reflecting the warming of Kurdistan's climate.