Interannual increase of regional haze-fog in North China Plain in summer by intensified easterly winds and orographic forcing

Abstract

Abstract Regional haze-fog events over the North China Plain (NCP) have attracted much attention in recent years. Their increase has been attributed to anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants and synoptic weather conditions. We investigated the influence of local meteorological conditions and large-scale circulation on the haze-fog events over the NCP during 2001–2012, and found a significant interannual increase in the number of summer regional haze-fog days. Analysis indicated that local meteorological conditions could partly explain the increase but failed to explain the spatial variation; meanwhile, regional circulation change induced by large-scale circulation and orographic forcing unveiled a possible spatiotemporal variation mechanism. In summer, the prevalent southerly winds over the NCP were obstructed by the Taihang and Yanshan mountains, steadying the outflow direction to the southeast, while different inflow direction controlled by large-scale circulation had different effects on regional circulation. In weak (strong) East Asian summer monsoon years, an intensified eastward (westward) zonal inflow wind component reinforced (weakened) the negative vorticity and formed an anomalous anticyclone (cyclone), which strengthened (weakened) the downward motion, so the dissipation capability was weakened (strengthened) and the wind speed decreased (increased), ultimately resulting in the increased (decreased) occurrence of haze-fog. We also found that the circulation anomaly had a good relationship with strong El Nino and La Nina events. There was more haze-fog over the NCP in the summers that followed a La Nina event, and less in summers that followed an El Nino event. This suggested the possibility that summer haze-fog phenomena could be predicted based on the phase of ENSO.