Climatology and impact on air quality of sea breeze in an urban coastal environment

The aims of this paper are to investigate the characteristics of the sea breeze that is developing in Volos area, a medium sized coastal city in central Greece, and to Study the influence of sea breeze oil concentration levels of ozone and PM 10. during the period 2001-2005. The identification of sea breeze clays is based on a set of strict, objective criteria, which include the wind direction and its diurnal reversal, the wind direction difference between the surface winds and the winds in the free atmosphere and the thermal contrast between the sea and the land Surface. The statistical analysis reveals that sea breeze is developing in 85.6% of days from May Until July, With maximum frequency Of Occurrence 99% in June. Its most frequent onset and cessation time periods are 09 : 00-11 : 00 and 20: 00-22: 00 LST respectively and its usual duration is approximately 10 h. The average maximum strength is 2.6 m/s, usually between 14: 00 and 17 : 00 LST, while the maximum observed value equals 5.9 m/s. Studying the variation of ozone and PM10 levels during the cold and the warm period of the year (October-April and May-September respectively), it is Concluded that sea breeze development is associated with an increase of the concentration of both pollutants. This increase is more pronounced during the cold period and is attributed to unfavourable meteorological conditions. Copyright (c) 2008 Royal Meteorological Society