The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of awning characteristics of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) on the partitioning of the heat load and the turbulent characteristics of the lower atmospheric boundary associated with the plant canopy. Aerodynamic studies of full‐awned, half‐awned, and nonawned isogenic barley indicated that awns increased the roughness length for the barley canopy. Increased turbulence over the full‐awned canopy increased the air‐sensible and latent heat fluxes. After awn emergence, net radiation was approximately 100 ly/day higher over the full‐awned than over the other two isogenic lines. Between 80 and 100% of the increased net radiation was dissipated by air‐sensible heat flux.