Concurrent heatwaves and extreme Ozone (O3) episodes: combined
atmospheric patterns and impact on human health
Abstract
More recurrent heatwaves and extreme ozone episodes are likely to occur
during the next decades and a key question is about the concurrence of
those hazards, the atmospheric patterns behind their appearance and
their joint effect on human health. In this work, we use surface maximum
temperature and O3 observations during extended summers in two cities
from Morocco: Casablanca and Marrakech, between 2010 and 2019. We assess
the connection between these data and climate indexes (North Atlantic
Oscillation (NAO), Mediterranean Oscillation (MO) and Saharan
Oscillation (SaOI)). We then identify concurrent heatwaves and ozone
episodes, the weather type behind this concurrence and the combined
health risks. Our findings show that the concurrence of heatwaves and O3
episodes depends both on the specific city and the large-scale
atmospheric circulation. The likely identified synoptic pattern is when
the country is under the combined influence of an anticyclonic area in
the north and the Saharan trough extending the depression centered in
the south. This pattern generates a warm flow and may foster
photochemical pollution. Our study is the first step towards the
establishment of an alert system. It will help to provide
recommendations for coping with concurrent heatwaves and air pollution
episodes.