Impact of Lake Breezes on Summer Ozone Concentrations in the Salt Lake Valley

Abstract

uring the late afternoon of 18 June 2015, ozone concentrations in advance of a strong lake-breeze front arising from the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah were ~20 ppb lower than those in its wake. The lake-breeze progression and ozone concentrations in the valley were monitored by an enhanced observation network that included automated weather stations, a nearby Terminal Doppler Weather Radar, state air quality measurement sites, and mobile platforms, including a news helicopter. Southerly flow opposing the lake breeze increased convergent frontogenesis and delayed the onset of its passage through the Salt Lake valley. Ozone concentrations were exceptionally high aloft at the lake-breeze frontal boundary. The progression of this lake breeze was simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model at 1-km horizontal grid spacing over northern Utah. The model was initialized using hourly analyses from the High Resolution Rapid Refresh model. Errors in the underlying surface initialization were improved by adjusting the areal extent and surface temperature of the lake to observed lake conditions. An urban canopy parameterization is also included. The opposing southerly flow was weaker in the simulation than that observed such that the simulated lake-breeze front occurred too early. Continuous passive tracers initialized within and ahead of the lake breeze highlight the dispersion and transport of pollutants arising from the lake-breeze front. Tracers within the lake breeze are confined near the surface while tracers in advance of the front are lofted over it.