A dark October in Beijing 2016

Abstract

In recent years, haze pollution events in Beijing have increased sharply, and the haze pollution of Beijing in October 2016 reached a new high. Meteorological conditions are thought to have influences on the haze occurrence, yet the associated atmospheric circulation of haze in October and why the most severe haze pollution occurred in 2016 is still unclear. Here, the authors show through daily observation and reanalysis data that key regions of North Atlantic and North Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies may be the main factors for this most severe haze event. Since 2013, the SSTs of these two key regions have increased dramatically and reached a peak, which could have induced the severe haze pollution by affecting the Eurasia teleconnection (EU) and the North Pacific Oscillation, with these factors then providing favorable dynamic and thermodynamic conditions for haze development.

Keywords

• Haze days
• North Pacific SST
• North Atlantic SST
• Eurasia teleconnection