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Intense precipitation events (IPE; 99th percentile) in the southeastern United States from 1950 to 2016 were analysed temporally, spatially, and synoptically. The study area was partitioned into latitudinal and physiographic regions to identify subregions that experienced significant changes in IPE frequency or intensity. Furthermore, the spatial synoptic classification (SSC) was used to ascertain what surface weather types are associated with IPEs. Additionally, in conjunction with the SSC, surface forcing mechanisms for the 30 most extreme subregional IPEs were studied to uncover the surface synoptic conditions responsible for IPEs. Results revealed that IPEs increased in frequency and intensity on an annual basis for the southeastern United States. Seasonal results indicated that IPE frequency only increased in the fall. Subregional results reveal that latitudinally, IPEs became more common in the northern latitudes of the study area, while physiographically, significant increases in IPE frequency were most pronounced in areas inland from the Atlantic Coastal Plain. An increase in the annual number of IPEs associated with moist tropical (MT) days was identified across the study area, but was more prevalent in the central and north central latitudinal regions, and areas inland from the Atlantic Coastal Plain outside of the Appalachian Mountains. This MT increase was possibly caused by more common northwards and inland intrusion of these types of IPEs. While moist moderate (MM) and transitional (TR) days were most commonly associated with IPEs, these weather types did not have significant trends. The surface forcing mechanisms most commonly associated with the strongest IPEs were tropical events, followed by stationary fronts and concentric low‐pressure systems. Within this research, intense precipitation events in the southeastern United States are temporally, spatially, and synoptically analysed. Significant increases in the strength and frequency of these events have been identified across the entire region, as well as over a variety of physiographic and latitudinal subregions. Additionally, a significant increase in the number of moist tropical weather types associated with these events has been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory atmospheric processes course towards various climate change related topics, such as the validity of, and the scientific consensus surrounding climate change. Further questions sought information regarding student knowledge of climate change, such as when they were first exposed to the science, and their methods of seeking out information regarding climate change. This study additionally seeks to identify sectors of the human and natural world that students feel climate change negatively affects. Results indicate that students desire information about mitigation strategies, regardless of whether they believe humans are the leading cause of climate change. Additionally, students must be made more aware of the non-natural impacts of climate change (infrastructure, economy, etc.). These findings can help instructors enrich course content to include topics relevant to student concerns regarding climate change, particularly its adverse impacts, and mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]