Consecutive Northward Super Typhoons Induced Extreme Ozone Pollution Events in Eastern China
Jiahe Wang, Peng Wang, Chunfeng Tian, Meng Gao, Tiantao Cheng, Wei Mei
Abstract
Typhoons are one of the most important weather systems that can cause severe ozone (O 3 ) pollution in eastern China. While the effects of individual typhoons on O 3 concentrations have been extensively studied, the effects of consecutive northward typhoons and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, partly due to the complex processes involved. Here, Typhoons Maysak and Haishen, two consecutive northward typhoons in 2020, are selected to investigate their impact on the O 3 pollution in eastern China. The results show that consecutive northward typhoons not only produced and maintained meteorological conditions conducive to O 3 generation (e.g., elevated temperatures and intensified solar radiation), but also facilitated local accumulation and cross-regional transport of O 3 . These factors jointly led to a 30% increase in O 3 concentration in eastern China with a prolonged period of O 3 pollution. Our work underscores the significance of complex meteorological conditions in O 3 pollution occurrences during extreme weather events, advancing our understanding of how consecutive northward typhoons affect air quality.