Abstract: Rapid expansion of urbanization has led to the formation of urban heat islands, which further exacerbates ecological and environmental problems. Clarifying the variation characteristics of urban surface temperature and exploring their main driving factors are critical for regulating urban thermal environments. Based on the MOD11A2 and MYD11A2 surface temperature products, this paper analyzed the spatial-temporal evolution and the driving factors of the local surface temperature on Hefei metropolitan area from 2003 to 2022. The statistics, trend analysis and geospatial correlation modeling, combined with the Geo-detector model were used. The results showed that: (1) The annual average LST in the study area fluctuated upward from 2003 to 2022 (0.08 °C/year), with daytime warming rates (0.11 °C/year) significantly higher than those at night (0.06 °C/year). (2) The significant warming areas during all-day were mainly distributed in the central-northern and southeastern parts of the area. The daytime zone of significant warming spread outward from the all-day zone, but most of the region showed insignificant warming during the night. (3) Over the past 20 years, the area of the cold-hot spots region changed dramatically. The LST hot spots spread to the northeast while the LST cold spot area clustered to the southwest corner during the day. The LST hot spots clustered to the south while the LST cold spot area spread to the center during the night. (4) The potential evapotranspiration, air temperature, and vegetation index were the major factors affecting the daytime LST in the study area, with air temperature and land use type being the dominant factors causing changes in surface temperature over the years. At night, the vegetation index, precipitation, and air temperature were the major driving factors affecting the nighttime LST, and the interpretability of LST had been significantly enhanced by the nighttime light index. This study provided a scientific basis for the coordinated development of urban ecological protection.