Analysis of the episodes of tropospheric ozone concentration in relation with hot days and heat waves in Warsaw

Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 166 Nowoursynowska St., 02-776 Warsaw, Poland

^* Corresponding author: katarzyna_rozbicka@sggw.pl

Abstract

The study presents the characteristics of the occurrence of smog episodes - days with exceeded the limit value of 8-hour tropospheric ozone concentration (120 μg.m^-3) with the occurrence of hot days (maximum air temperature greater than 25°C), very hot (maximum air temperature greater than 30°C) and heat waves during 13-year period 2004-2016 in the area of Warsaw, Poland. In the analyzed period, the average number of hot days was 45, and very hot days was 8. The highest number of these days occurred in 2015, 54 and 20 days respectively. Heat waves were short and lasted usually 3-4 days. The highest number of them was recorded in 2010 and 2015 (14 days). The highest ozone concentration value 189 μg.m^-3 was recorded on 28 May 2005, thus exceeding the information threshold (180 μg.m^-3 for the value of 1 hour ozone concentration). However, the number of days with the exceeded limit value of ozone concentration was not in any year exceeded the target value, i.e. 25 days in a calendar year. The relatively stronger relationship (R=0.513) in comparison to others obtained between average maximum temperature during LTO exceedance days and average ozone concentration during these days but it was not statistically significant.