worldwide. While multiple studies suggest that UHIs can locally modify convection, few have
attempted to quantify the convective changes. This study investigates the modification of
preexisting convection as it crosses over the Oklahoma City (OKC) metropolitan area during
which a definitive UHI is present. Three cases of convective modification were drawn from
precipitation and temperature records from the OKC Micronet and Oklahoma Mesonet databases
as well as the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) severe weather events archive between the years of
2008-2012. Six storms were analyzed as they passed over and around the OKC metropolitan
area by documenting changes in composite reflectivity and storm echo top. Additionally,
environmental analyses were conducted using OKC Micronet data to gauge the impact of the
OKC UHI on convective parameters. It was found that each of the six storms that interacted
with the OKC UHI exhibited reflectivity factor pulses within an hour of interaction. However,
the magnitudes of each pulse were found to be quantitatively indifferent to those outside of the
OKC UHI. It was also found that temperature excesses owing to UHIs lead to slightly more
unstable environments with less capping compared to surrounding rural areas.
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