Dataset for studying the average monthly change in ground temperature in an equatorial zone during the dry season

Data presented in this paper were collected with the aim of describing the mean monthly temperature evolution of a lateritic soil in an equatorial zone during the dry season. The site is located in Cameroon and has the following geographical coordinates: latitude 3.879444° North and longitude 11.468333° East. Data collection involved measuring the water temperature and depth of existing wells at the site and determining their geographical coordinates. The data were collected manually. The temperatures of the various wells were measured daily throughout February 2022, and the average monthly temperatures were then calculated. These are presented in this paper, along with the other measured data. Several pieces of equipment were used for this purpose. An infrared laser thermometer was used to measure the temperatures of the various wells. A UTM GPS (Universal Transverse Mercator Global Positioning System) unit was used to determine the geographical position of each well in the study area. A plumb line was used to measure the depths of the various wells. The length of the plumb line inserted into the well was measured using an ankle brace. An infrared rangefinder was used to measure the distance, surface area, and volume of each well. The Coordinate Converter application was used to convert the east longitude and north latitude of each well in the study area into decimal degrees. Microsoft Excel was used to draw up tables of measured and converted data and to plot a graph. Surfer software was used to produce isothermal maps. The data collected provide information on changes in the average monthly temperature of the soil at the site as a function of its depth and geographical position. This information facilitates the installation of heat pumps and other heat exchangers to meet the heating and cooling needs of buildings in the area. Additionally, this data can be reused to identify suitable locations for the construction of new water wells and buildings at the site.