Persistence and trend of modeled soil moisture in Oklahoma

Soil moisture is an important parameter in many hydrologic and land-atmosphere interactions. The relative partitioning between latent and sensible heat fluxes is largely controlled by variations in soil moisture conditions. Large-scale anomalous soil moisture conditions can lead to drought or floods, while regional variations can enhance dryline formation, convective initiation, and precipitation recycling. Thus, understanding the variability of soil moisture and its persistence are vital in determining the influence that land surface processes have upon the atmosphere.

Utilizing a hydrologic model, soil moisture is simulated across Oklahoma using readily available meteorological data and detailed land surface characteristics for the last 30 years. Modeled soil moisture estimates compare well with observed 'in situ' measurements.

Analysis examines the persistence of soil moisture conditions across Oklahoma and the detection of a long term trend present during the period of study.