A substrate developing method and apparatus for improving uniformity of a developing process by adjusting a temperature gradient of a developer spread over the surface of a substrate. The developer is delivered to a central region of the substrate surface and spread over the surface. The developer in this state has activity diminishing, and thereby lowering the developing rate, gradually from center to edge of the substrate. With a gas flowing down around the edge of the substrate during the developing process, the developer vaporizes from peripheral regions of the substrate at an increased rate, thereby lowering the developer temperature in the peripheral regions. This increases the developing rate gradually from edge to center of the substrate. The uniformity of the developing process is improved by balancing the gradient of developing rate due to the temperature variation of the developer against the gradient of developing rate due to the lowering of developer activity.