###### Abstract  
A rapid increase in urbanization has caused severe urban heat island (UHI) effects in China over the past few years. Zhengzhou is one of the emerging cities of China where residents are facing strong impact of UHI. By utilizing MODIS data on land surface temperature (LST) and employing 3S technology, this study investigates the UHI phenomenon in Zhengzhou over a 10-year period (2012-2021), aiming to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of the UHI effect and the associated land cover changes. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to investigate annual and seasonal changes in different areas of Zhengzhou. It is noted that in the night-time, the intensity of the heat island is stronger than in daytime, which has moderate and weak heat island areas. Seasonal variation showed that in autumn, Zhengzhou has the strong heat island intensity, followed by summer, and the lowest is in winter and spring. The analysis reveals that built-up (construction) areas exhibit the highest LST, whereas forested land and water bodies have the lowest temperature levels. The findings of this study can serve as reference for reducing UHI and increasing thermal comfort in cities. urban heat island; land surface temperature; Zhengzhou; MODIS; seasonal UHI +
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island (SUHI). Recently, to study the UHI effect on various spatial and temporal scales, a variety of remotely sensed data have been used for LST retrieval, including Landsat TM/ETM+, MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), AVHRR, and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission, Reflection Radiometer) [15; 16; 17; 18]. These studies examined the spatiotemporal variations in UHIs and the relationship between the UHI effect and urban parameters such as surface cover characteristics and population. Large and coastal cities, where UHI impacts are considerable, have been the main focus of previous UHI investigations. Urban heat island intensity (UHII), defined as the difference in air temperatures between urban and nearby rural areas by [PERSON] (1987), is a concept that has since been widely adopted [19]. With data gathered by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, [PERSON] et al. [20] studied and analyzed day maximum, minimum, and mean temperature data from 1920-1984 from 961 stations in Phoenix, Arizona (located in the southwestern part of the USA). The study indicated that the average yearly increase in summertime temperatures in Phoenix was found to be 0.072 \({}^{\circ}\)C, with mean minimum temperatures increasing at a pace of 0.10 \({}^{\circ}\)C and mean maximum temperatures rising at a rate of 0.04 \({}^{\circ}\)C. After adjusting for ecological conditions, [PERSON] et al. [18] discovered that the amplitude of UHI is seasonally asymmetric throughout the 38 most populated urban locations in the contiguous United States, with more significant temperature differences in summer than in winter. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [21] examined the UHI in Seoul, Korea, by collecting data from 31 automatic weather stations (2001-2002). Their study showed that the UHI was more intense at night than during the day and decreased with increasing wind and cloud cover. A maximum UHI of 2.2 \({}^{\circ}\)C was the average. [PERSON] et al. [22] investigated how design-related factors affected the heat island effect in Hong Kong's residential developments. The UHI was found to be 1.5 \({}^{\circ}\)C, at its highest during summer days, and 1 \({}^{\circ}\)C between estates. According to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [23], Sydney faced severe UHI effects due to its numerous urban development initiatives and climatic changes. The intensity of UHI at night-time was high, and the temperature in urban areas increased from 1.1 \({}^{\circ}\)C to 3.7 \({}^{\circ}\)C, while in rural areas, it increased from 0.8 \({}^{\circ}\)C to 2.6 \({}^{\circ}\)C.  
[PERSON] et al.