How Paved Surfaces Can Foster Build-up of Polluted Air (IMAGE)

National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

How Paved Surfaces Can Foster Build-up of Polluted Air

Caption

Paved surfaces in the Houston area keep the city warmer than more natural surfaces. As a result, overnight temperatures are often similar between the city and nearby offshore areas, which weakens summertime breezes and enables air pollution to build up. The stagnant conditions also persist during the day because of larger-scale wind patterns.

Credit

©UCAR, Illustration by Lex Ivy.

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