The paper presents experiments characterizing discharge development and energy coupling in surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD), atmospheric air plasmas over dielectric and weakly conducting surfaces, over a wide range of time scales and electrical conductivities. The experiments are done using nanosecond pulse (NS, both single polarity and alternating polarity) and AC voltage waveforms. Discharge development and mechanisms of coupling with quiescent air are analyzed using nanosecond gate camera imaging, schlieren imaging, and Laser Differential Interferometry. It is shown that NS SDBD plasmas generate stochastic, localized, near-surface perturbations on a long time scale (> 100 μs) after the discharge pulse. These perturbations, entirely different from compression waves generated on a short time scale (~ 1-10 μs), are caused by discharge contraction and originate from the ends of the filaments. Discharge contraction significantly increases energy stored on the dielectric surface, which in this case exceeds energy dissipated as Joule heat. The stored energy is dissipated if the discharge pulse is followed by an opposite polarity pulse. In a single polarity discharge, on the other hand, surface charge accumulation limits energy coupled to the plasma by subsequent pulses. The results demonstrate that surface plasma actuator control authority may be significantly increased by using an alternating polarity pulse waveform.