TRMM Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission shows midweek increase in summer rain intensity and rain am

1
SE U.S. Summer Storms More Severe due to
Pollution?

• TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) shows
  midweek increase in summer rain intensity and
  rain amounts over inland southeast U.S.
• Well-known midweek increase in pollution believed
  to be the cause.
• Storm intensification over land is believed to be
  causing the midweek suppression of rain over
  nearby ocean (i.e., remote aerosol effect).

Bell et al., 2007 J. Geophys. Res. (In press).
2
SE U.S. Summer Storms More Severe due to
Pollution?
TRMM radar shows midweek storms climb higher than
on weekends.
Midweek afternoon storms rain more.
3
SE U.S. Summer Storms More Severe due to
Pollution?
TRMM multi-satellite rain product shows rain
tends to peak TuesdayThursday year after year.
Sector shows day of week of peak rain.
Distance from origin shows signal strength.
4
EPA Air Quality System Monitoring StationsWeekly
Cycle of PM10
PM10 Concentration of Particulate Matter lt 10
?m in size Estimate that r7 5 12 of mean
concentration.