Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Masters Theses & Specialist Projects Graduate School Spring 2017 Synoptic Atmospheric Conditions, Land Cover, and Equivalent Temperature Variations in Kentucky Dorothy Yemaa Na-Yemeh Western Kentucky University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses Part of the Climate Commons, Geology Commons, and the Geophysics and Seismology Commons Recommended Citation Na-Yemeh, Dorothy Yemaa, "Synoptic Atmospheric Conditions, Land Cover, and Equivalent Temperature Variations in Kentucky" (2017). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 1930. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1930 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses & Specialist Projects by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SYNOPTIC ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, LAND COVER, AND EQUIVALENT TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS IN KENTUCKY A Thesis Presented to The Graduate Faculty of the Department of Geology and Geography Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science By Dolly Na-Yemeh May 2017 SYNOPTIC ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, LAND COVER AND EQUIVALENT TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS IN KENTUCKY ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of your wonderful deeds. I had the support of many people in the process of earning the M.S. degree in the Department of Geography and Geology at Western Kentucky University. First, I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Dr. Rezaul Mahmood, for his guidance, support, and encouragement throughout this program. The door to Dr. Mahmood’s office was always open whenever I needed his help. Second, I would like to express my gratitude to members of my thesis committee: Dr. Greg Goodrich, Dr. Josh Durkee, and Mr. Kevin Cary. I have appreciated their invaluable support and contributions to my research. Through probing questions and suggestions, they ensured that I addressed challenging research issues in a rigorous manner. Without them, my research would not be what it is. Third, I also thank Dr. Keeling, the Department Head, and Ms. Wendy Decroix, the office coordinator. They were my first contact with the Department and they made it possible for me to bear the load, especially during my first semester, pushing my paperwork through and always ensuring that I was on the right path to an early graduation. Fourth, I acknowledge the contribution of the Faculty of the Geography and Geology Department and the Western Kentucky University community. I have been overwhelmed by their steadfast care and concern. I appreciate the efforts they made to make this a home away from home for me. I will miss them. Fifth, I am also indebted to my family: my dad, Dr. Paul Yemeh; my mom, Mrs. Rosina Yemeh; my siblings; Dean, Debby, Desmond, and Day. This indebtedness is also due all my friends and support system; Dr. Lartey, Father Emmanuel, Sister Anne Marie, Prof. Kyem, Prof. Afful-Broni, Bright Adu, Vandalyn Hooks, Kelvin Baako, Kobby Addo, Rosemary Ofili, Gifty Rockson, and all my graduate student colleagues. At various times one or the other of these have had to provide a shoulder for me to cry on or provide the environment I needed to smile and laugh. Through it all, they have provided the best support system a graduate student could ever hope for. Truly, I can say with confidence ‘Per Aspera ad Astra’. Notwithstanding the help and assistance, I received, all mistakes in this thesis are purely mine. Dorothy Na-Yemeh iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND ..........................................................................................5 2.1 Global LULCC...............................................................................................................7 2.2 Regional and local LULCCs and their impact on Climate ............................................9 2.3 Temperature as a metric ...............................................................................................10 2.4 Spatial Synoptic Classification ....................................................................................12 2.4.1 Air masses and SSC …………………………………………………………...12 2.4.2 Application of SSC ……………………………………………………………17 CHAPTER 3: DATA AND METHODS ...........................................................................21 3.1 Calculation of Equivalent Temperature .......................................................................21 3.2 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................23 3.3 Statistical Analysis .......................................................................................................29 3.4 Geoprofile of Mesonet stations ....................................................................................30 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .................................................................33 4.1 Inter-annual variations in weather type frequency .......................................................34 4.2 Growing Season TE ......................................................................................................39 4.3 Intra-seasonal air mass and TE distribution ..................................................................43 4.4 Unusual Daily TE .........................................................................................................54 4.5 TE and T differences ....................................................................................................61 iv 4.6 Rapid changes in TE .....................................................................................................64 4.7 Synoptic conditions influence on TE and T .................................................................65 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................68 References ..........................................................................................................................73 Appendix ............................................................................................................................79 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1. Air mass source region and region and their generalized tracks. ....................14 Figure 3.1. Climate Divisions and all Mesonet stations. ...................................................22 Figure 3.2. Selected Mesonet Stations and Climate Divisions. .........................................24 Figure 3.3. Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC) Stations. ..............................................24 Figure 3.4. Geoprofile of the Warren County Mesonet station. ........................................27 Figure 3.5. Elevation of the 1.5 km area around the Warren County Mesonet station. .....28 Figure 3.6. Land cover of the 1.5 km area around the Warren County Mesonet station. ..29 Figure 3.7. Land cover and land use of Kentucky. ............................................................31 Figure 3.8. Elevation of Kentucky. ....................................................................................31 Figure 4.1. The frequency of weather types for the growing season in Fulton County….36 Figure 4.2. The frequency of weather types …………………………………………….37 Figure 4.3. Equivalent temperatures (TE) for Calloway County ………………………...40 Figure 4.4. Equivalent temperatures (TE) for Barren County …………………………...41 o Figure 4.5. Seasonal distribution of weather types and mean TE ( C) for Barren County…. 42 Figure 4.6. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures . ............44 Figure 4.7. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures .............45 Figure 4.8. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures .............46 Figure 4.9. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures . ............47 Figure 4.10. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures . ..........48 Figure 4.11. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures . ..........49 Figure 4.12. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures . ........500 Figure 4.13. Seasonal distribution of weather types and equivalent temperatures ...........51 vi Figure 4.14. Multiple comparisons of means of equivalent temperatures . ......................53 Figure 4.15. Multiple comparisons of means of equivalent temperatures ........................53 Figure 4.16. Seasonal air mass patterns ………………………………………………...53 Figure 4.17. Average monthly dew point temperatures.....………………………………53 Figure 4.18. Time series of moisture content percentage. .................................................57 Figure 4.19. Time series of moisture content percentage . ...............................................57 Figure 4.20.TE for April 11, 2010, and b. TE-T for April 11, 2010. ..................................62 Figure 4.21. TE for August 22, 2010, and b. TE-T for August 22, 2010. ...........................63 Figure 4.22. Synoptic map of April 11, 2010 ....................................................................66 Figure 4.23. Synoptic map of August 22, 2014 .................................................................67 vii LIST OF TABLES Table