MULTI-SCALE CHARACTERISTICS STUDY ON THE FREQUENCY OF FOGGY DAYS OCCURRING IN NANJING IN DECEMBER 2007

Based on the number of foggy days in Nanjing in December from 1980 to 2011, we analyzed the surface temperature and atmospheric circulation characteristics of foggy years and less-foggy years. Positive anomalies of the Arctic Oscillation(AO) were found to weaken the East Asian trough, which is not conducive to the southward migration of cold air. Simultaneously, this atmospheric condition favors stability as a result of a high-pressure anomaly from the middle Yangtze River Delta region. A portion of La Nia events increases the amount of water vapor in the South China Sea region, so this phenomenon could provide the water vapor condition required for foggy days in Nanjing.Based on the data in December 2007, which contained the greatest number of foggy days for the years studied, the source of fog vapor in Nanjing was primarily from southern China and southwest Taiwan Island based on a synoptic scale study. The water vapor in southern China and in the southwestern flow increased, and after a period of 2-3 days,the humidity in Nanjing increased. Simultaneously, the water vapor from the southwestern of Taiwan Island was directly transported to Nanjing by the southerly wind. Therefore, these two areas are the most important sources of water vapor that results in heavy fog in Nanjing. Using the bivariate Empirical Orthogonal Function(EOF) mode on the surface temperature and precipitable water vapor, the first mode was found to reflect the seasonal variation from early winter to late winter, which reduced the surface temperature on a large scale. The second mode was found to reflect a large-scale,northward, warm and humid airflow that was accompanied by the enhancement of the subtropical high, particularly between December 15-21, which is primarily responsible for the consecutive foggy days in Nanjing.