Investigating Cold Pools over West Sumatra Using BAM-Net Observations
Tuti Alawiya (a), Marzuki Marzuki (a*), Dariusz B. Baranowski (b)

a) Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Andalas, Padang, 25163, Indonesia
*marzuki[at]sci.unand.ac.id
b) Department of Atmospheric Physics, Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ksi&#281-cia Janusza 64, 01-452 Warszawa, Poland

Abstract

The Barisan Anai Meteorological NETwork (BAM-Net) consists of five stations in West Sumatra: BAM-Net01 (Padang Pariaman), BAM-Net02 (Sicincin), BAM-Net03 (Anai), and BAM-Net04 & BAM-Net05 (Padang Panjang). This study investigates convective cold pools and their role in convection propagation over West Sumatra using BAM-Net observations from January to December 2025. Cold pools were detected using surface temperature drops and wind anomalies. Results show that wind-only events dominated (2,025 events), compared to 170 temperature-only events. A total of 170 cold pool events (simultaneous temperature drop and wind gust) were identified. Spatially, the highest number of cold pool events occurred at coastal BAM-Net01 (61 events), followed by BAM-Net02 (37), BAM-Net03 (40), BAM-Net04 (21), and inland BAM-Net05 (11), indicating stronger convective activity near the coast. Most cold pool events occurred during early morning (12:00-15:00 local time). Sequential events across multiple stations on the same day suggest propagation of convective systems either from coastal to inland regions or vice versa. These findings demonstrate that cold pools play an important role in organizing and propagating convection over western Sumatra.

Keywords: BAM-Net- Cold pools- Convection- Propagation- West Sumatra.

Topic: Energy and Environmental Physics