1. The Association of Atmospheric Chemistry with Weather Patterns in Wilmington, NC Sarah Beth Jenkins Spring 2006 Department of Earth Sciences

2. Introduction  Why is rainwater chemistry important? Air pollution Acid Rain in United States (Source: Lutgens and Tarbuck 2003)

3. Southeast North Carolina  What rainwater chemistry issue is important? Nitrate analytes

6. Hog Farm Flooding in Eastern North Carolina after Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 (Source: Mallin 2000)

7. MACRL Study  Feb 2002- Aug 2003  129 rain events  Ammonium, nitrate, organic nitrogen, free amino acids  Trajectory Analysis  Weather patterns?

8. Specific Objectives  Determine if weather conditions vary by seasons through comparison by six winter and six summer rain events as measured by the MACRL study on the UNCW campus (expanded data base)  Determine if weather conditions vary by terrestrial and marine trajectories as identified in previous studies  Determine if weather conditions vary by chemical type including hydrogen peroxide, nitrate, non-sea salt sulfate, chloride, and dissolved organic carbon as measured by the MACRL study on the UNCW campus

9. Air-mass back trajectories as produced by Long (2003) Mixed Terrestrial Mixed Coastal Oceanic

10. Methodology  Collect meteorological data:  Day/Hourly reports 48 hrs preceding each rain event.  Calculate descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, range, etc.)  Complete statistical tests to determine significant difference in meteorological conditions by season and storm trajectory

11. Dates of Storms Avg. Temp Avg. Wind Speed Avg. RHNO 3 - 12/11/2003 mar/mix526.240%1 2/27/2004 coastal/mix42.516.1558%4.652 1/14/2005 marine639.134%0.526 12/10/2003 terrestrial432.0550%1.89 2/14/2004 terrestrial447.9545%5.296 12/9/2004 continental66.58.2544%44.341 6/2/2005 5 marine6910.5528%4.308 6/26/2005 5 marine759.3529%1.478 6/29/2005 5 marine805.2529%1.342 7/17/2004 terrestrial805.348%22.729 5/24/2005 2 terrestrial70.59.0545%20.455 5/25/2005 2 terrestrial728.1543%11.865

12. Generate WXP 24-Hour Meteogram Station: Wilmington/New NC US KILM 2 34.27 -77.90 10 99999 81 Data for KILM from 0000Z 12 DEC 03 to 2300Z 12 DEC 03 ID TIME T TD RH DIR SPD GST ALT SLP VIS CIL COV KILM 2353 48 38 68 270 7 991 129 10 CLR KILM 0053 44 38 79 260 5 993 134 10 CLR KILM 0153 43 39 86 240 6 995 142 10 CLR KILM 0253 42 38 85 270 5 997 147 10 CLR KILM 0353 42 38 85 260 5 997 149 10 CLR KILM 0453 41 38 89 260 6 998 151 10 CLR KILM 0553 39 37 92 260 5 999 153 10 CLR KILM 0653 38 37 97 270 4 002 164 10 CLR KILM 0753 38 33 83 310 4 003 169 10 CLR KILM 0853 36 33 89 300 5 005 176 10 CLR KILM 0953 35 32 88 320 6 006 180 10 CLR KILM 1053 34 31 88 310 4 009 189 10 CLR KILM 1153 35 31 84 320 4 013 202 10 CLR KILM 1253 33 32 96 0 0 014 207 10 CLR KILM 1353 40 33 76 0 3 016 212 10 CLR KILM 1453 43 32 65 40 7 017 216 10 CLR KILM 1553 46 31 55 340 6 017 217 10 CLR KILM 1653 49 31 50 0 6 015 208 10 CLR Source: Plymouth State Weather Center 24 HR Surface Station Summary Generator

13. Methodology  Examine NOAA daily weather maps 48 hrs before precipitation  Compare synoptic weather conditions by season and storm trajectory  Examine radar images to determine spatial distribution of rainfall  Compare rainfall distribution by seasons and storm trajectories

14. NOAA Daily Weather Map (2006)

15. Source: Wilmington NWS FO Radar image of Eastern North Carolina

16. Product  Description of local weather conditions and synoptic weather patterns associated with specific atmospheric chemistry patterns  Use information gained in study as environmental protection tools  Suggest management strategies and pre-storm procedures based on forecasted atmospheric chemistry