Impact of weather conditions on winter and summer air quality

A b s t r a c t. The impact of major meteorological elements on the concentration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ozone in the extreme conditions of winter and summertime was determined. It was observed that weather conditions significantly contributed to elevated concentrations of the all analyzed pollutants. The impact of the wintertime weather was most pronounced in southern Poland, whereas in the summer – also in the central and NE parts of Poland. The adverse conditions of anticyclone weather observed in January 2006 had a stronger effect on the concentrations of gaseous pollutants, whereas in July – on tropospheric ozone and particulate matter. Air quality primarily depended on air temperature and wind speed. Air temperature most often explained the variability of summertime ozone and particulate matter immission, as well as wintertime sulfur dioxide. However, the role of wind speed as a dispersing factor most affected nitrogen dioxide immissions in both seasons, and particulate matter during the winter. K e y w o r d s: season weather conditions, gaseous pollutants, ozone, particulate matter, air quality

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