Air pollution increases in South East Asia, combined with pollution cuts in Europe, may have had an important influence on European and Asian weather patterns in recent decades, new research has found.
Air pollution increases in South East Asia, combined with pollution cuts in Europe, may have had an important influence on European and Asian weather patterns in recent decades, new research has found.
Analysis of weather records and climate models by scientists at the University of Reading revealed that changes in air pollution levels in the two regions was likely the primary driving force behind changing atmospheric conditions that favoured prolonged summer extremes in Europe, as well as causing dry spells in Central Asia.
New research published in Nature Communications shows that the air pollution changes during 1979-2019 reduced the temperature gradient between the two regions, significantly weakening the jet stream over Asia.
These high-altitude winds have a strong influence on atmospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere, and shape weather across Europe and other mid-latitude areas.
Dr Buwen Dong, an NCAS scientist at the University of Reading, said: “Our findings suggest changes to air pollution had a greater influence on Northern Hemisphere summer weather than we thought.
Read more at: University of Reading
