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Research Interests
Broadly speaking, my research explores the spatial and
temporal patterns of atmospheric processes/patterns and the
multiple linkages of these processes/patterns to surface
weather and climate variability. I utilize a synoptic
climatological approach whereby samples of various types of
weather events, such as heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and
heat waves, are examined statistically to determine the: 1)
commonalities and differences in the synoptic or large scale
patterns/processes and 2) atmospheric field features that most
effectively distinguish event characteristics, such as
intensity, spatial pattern and diurnal timing.
In the
last five years, I have been involved in an eclectic, but
interrelated set of synoptic climatological projects. These
projects include: 1) The determination of relationships
between landfalling tropical cyclone attributes and
precipitation processes/patterns 2) The assessment of spatial
and temporal patterns of thunderstorm activity as inferred
from cloud to ground (CG) lightning patterns; 3) The
identification of regional variations in the synoptic patterns
associated with warm season precipitation within the eastern
U.S.; 4) The determination of relationships between orographic
processes and precipitation patterns in the southern
Appalachians; 5) The examination of relationships between warm
season drought/heat waves and the synoptic to planetary scale
circulation. The majority of this research has focused on
weather events that commonly occur in the maritime tropical
weather regime of the southeastern United States.
An
underlying theme in my research is the cross-scale connections
between small and large scale atmospheric phenomena. In
particular, I am interested in the nature of mesoscale
convective patterns and their relationship with the larger
scale synoptic environment, particularly as it relates to
precipitation production. A better understanding of these
relationships is needed in order to better predict extremely
heavy rainfall. This is especially the case where tropical
systems interact with mesoscale features such as coastal
fronts or terrain features (e.g. the Blue Ridge escarpment in
North Carolina). Additionally I am interested in the subtle,
but significant cross-scale relationships that exist between
the synoptic environment and mesoscale convective systems in
which individual cells repeatedly develop and move over the
same region. Selected Recent Publications
Perry L. and C. E.
Konrad, 2007: Antecedent Upstream Air Trajectories Associated
with Northwest Flow Snowfall in the Southern Appalachians,
USA. Weather and Forecasting,
22, 334-352.
Martin, J. and C.E. Konrad, 2006:
Directional characteristics of potentially damaging wind gusts
in the Southeast United States. Physical Geography, 27,
155-169.
Perry L. and C. E. Konrad, 2006:
Relationships between northwest flow snowfall and topography
in the Southern Appalachians. Climate Research, 32, 35-47.
Chen, F. and C. E. Konrad, 2006: A synoptic
climatology of summertime heat and humidity in the Piedmont
Region of North Carolina. Applied Meteorology and Climatology,
45, 674-685.
Murphy, M. and C. E. Konrad, 2005: Spatial
and temporal patterns of thunderstorm events that produce
cloud-to-ground lightning in the interior southeastern United
States. Monthly Weather Review, 133, 1417-1430.
Konrad, C. E., Meaux, M. F., and D. A.
Meaux, 2002: Relationships between tropical cyclone attributes
and precipitation totals: Considerations of scale. The
International Journal of Climatology, 22, 237-247.
Konrad, C. E., 2001b: Diurnal variations in
the landfall times of tropical cyclones over the eastern
United States. Monthly Weather Review, 129, 2627-2631.
Konrad, C. E., 2001a: The heaviest
precipitation events over the eastern United States:
Considerations of scale. Journal of Hydrometeorology, 2,
309-325.
Colucci, S. J., Baumhefner, D. P., and C.
E. Konrad, 1999: Numerical Prediction of a cold-air outbreak:
A case study with forecast ensembles. Monthly Weather Review,
127,1538-1550.
Konrad, C. E., 1998a: Intramonthly indices
of the Pacific / North American teleconnection pattern and
their relationship with temperature characteristics over the
United States. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. 60, 11-19.
Konrad, C. E., 1998b: A hydroclimatological
analysis of the lower Roanoke River basin. Physical Geography.
19, 15-34.
Konrad, C. E., 1998c: Persistent planetary
scale circulation patterns and their relationship with the
intensity of cold air outbreaks over the eastern United
States. The International Journal of Climatology. 18,
1209-1221.
Konrad, C. E., 1998d: An empirical approach
for delineating the spatial patterns of freezing rain in the
Appalachian region of the USA. Climate Research 10, 217-227.
Selected Recent Funding
Band, L. E., Konrad, C. E., Moody, A.
Drought vulnerability in the
Catawba
River
basin. 2003-2004, Duke Energy
Foundation, $100,000.
Konrad, C. E. Synoptic climatology of
precipitation forcing fields over the eastern U.S. National
Science Foundation. BCS-9911315. $106,905.
Rindfuss, R. R., Walsh, S. J., Entwisle,
B., Konrad, C. E., Moody, A., Curran, S. Sawangdee, Y.,
1997-2000: Soil, water, and pixels: A study of
Nang Rong,
Thailand. NASA.
$570,000. |
