Introduction.

Some research has shown that the thermal gradient observed between densely built urban areas and the rural periphery is associated with urban expansion in large cities and is the result of the change in land cover due to urbanization and various activities such as transport and industry. It has been shown that the Aburrá Valley has suffered a remarkable change in temperature increase in the last decades. However, quantitative studies are needed to demonstrate the influence of urban growth on the city temperature through models that allow estimating predictions and supporting the generation of tools and strategies for territorial planning.

Objective.

Evaluate the relationship between changes in the city temperatures and urban growth.

Materials and methods.

To estimate surface temperature, we used USGS Landsat satellite images from 2010 to 2014.The atmospheric temperature was obtained from six local weather stations.

Results.

There was no difference between the two temperature measurement systems (surface and air), and atmospheric temperature variations were evidenced between stations.

Conclusions.

Using a descriptive model, we found an association between the constructed area and surface temperatures, identifying areas of high degree of densification with evident increases in temperature caused by land uses.