Winter surface energy budget in Denver, Colorado

The surface energy budget plays a major role in the evolution of the boundary layer in an urban environment. Because of the complex pattern of city surfaces, measurement and simulation of the surface energy budget are very difficult to perform. This paper presents a study of the winter surface energy budget conducted in downtown Denver, Colorado. By combining measurements with model simulations using a Geographical Information System, the temporal and spatial evolution of the surface energy budget inside downtown Denver is described. Results show the importance of heat emission from building walls, local shadowing by tall buildings, subsurface heat flux, and the effects of snow cover on the surface energy budget.