An Examination of Surface Energy Force/Response Using High Temporal Resolution Data During Periods of Summertime Convection in the Southeastern United States

Summertime convection initiation (CI) events in the southeastern U.S. are thought to be triggered by subtle changes in landuse, surface fluxes, surface heating or other local factor that may lead to localized surface moisture convergence fields. During the summer of 2014 and 2015, a field experiment was conducted in northern Alabama in cooperation with the University of Alabama in Huntsville with an overall to improve the predictability of when and where convection may occur. High resolution surface data were taken (1 min) to identify potential signatures that could be used as predictor variables for convection. In addition, the data allowed for an examination of the land surface was responding to changes in energy input and whether or not this could force/response was more unique on days when convection was more probable. A summary of this analysis for two summer periods will be presented and discussed.