Gulf Aerosols and Weather Regimes

A preliminary analysis of aerosol distributions, sources and sinks, and their variations, is in progress for the Gulf of Mexico region. These are being made according to seasonal and daily variations and as a function of prevailing synoptic weather conditions. This information is being compared with expected distributions and will be considered with regard to operational applications, including operational forecasting. The nature of land/sea/atmosphere interactions, and the role of aerosol and moisture distributions, will also be considered. The significance and impact of these, in terms of weather elements and regimes, will be discussed particularly with regard to forecasting.