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Air Quality
AIR POLLUTION AND PRECIPITATION
Several recent studies have shown that air pollution particles (known by meteorologists as “aerosols”) can influence the time it takes for clouds to produce raindrops that are large enough to fall out of the cloud as well as the overall intensity of storms. A recent study used NASA satellite and rain gauge data to show that, in the southeast U.S., storms were stronger on average than storms that occurred at the end of the week, and that the effect was due to the higher presence of air pollution in the mid week.
The study, however, left many questions about which types of air pollution particles are responsible for the affect on clouds and whether this effect is noticeable in other regions. The study also points to the need for high quality rain gauge data that can used for studies like this.
To read more about this study, check out
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0802/02rainy/
“BE AIR AWARE” -- Air Quality Awareness Week: April 30 – May 4th
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service urge Americans to "Be Air Aware" during Air Quality Awareness Week, April 30 - May 4, 2007
Join the EPA and NOAA all week long as they examine the following topics:
Monday: Ozone and particle pollution
Tuesday: What causes poor air quality?
Wednesday: Keeping your lungs and heart safe
Thursday: What are air quality forecasts?
Friday: What can you do to help make the air cleaner?
To find out more visit: http://www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware/airaware.html
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