The 23rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology

J16B.5
IDENTIFICATION OF ANTHROPOGENIC WEEKLY CYCLES IN NORTHWEST ATLANTIC POLLUTION, PRECIPITATION AND TROPICAL CYCLONES

Randall S. Cerveny, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ; and R. C. Balling, Jr

Direct human influences on climate have been discussed at local scales, e.g., urban temperature increases and precipitation enhancement or at global scales, e.g., planetary CO2 enhancement. However, little study of anthropogenic climate signals between these extremes, e.g., regional scales, has been conducted. Because others have shown weekly cycles in global climate and in local pollution, one means of examining regional impacts on climate by humans is through equivalent cycle identification in climatic and pollution variables. Here we describe statistical analyses that reveal weekly cycles in three independent Atlantic datasets: pollution, precipitation, and tropical cyclones. For three Canadian monitoring stations, lowest levels of ozone and carbon monoxide occur in early week while highest concentrations are observed in late week. This weekly pollution cycle corresponds to variability in Atlantic rainfall and tropical cyclones. First, using satellite precipitation estimates, we find that near-coastal ocean areas receive significantly more weekend precipitation than on weekdays. Second, weekend observations of near-coastal Atlantic tropical cyclones average significantly weaker surface winds, higher surface pressure and higher frequency than do weekday observations. Although our statistical findings limit identification of cause-and-effect relationships, we advance the hypothesis for future study that aerosols' thermal impact on storms may contribute to these weekly climate cycles

The 23rd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology