Why the air quality in Kyiv has actually deteriorated: refuting the dust myth

Why the air quality in Kyiv has actually deteriorated: refuting the dust myth

Kyiv  •  UNN

10:26 PM • 5599 views

The deterioration in air quality in Kyiv is caused by seasonal fog, not by cross-border dust transport. Due to the anticyclone and high humidity, water droplets and harmful emissions accumulate in the air.

The deterioration of air quality in Kyiv is due to seasonal fogs, not to cross-border dust transfer. This is reported by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center, UNN reports.

Details

The widespread information about the alleged cross-border transfer of dust to Ukraine turned out to be incorrect, due to the misinterpretation of data on the content of aerosols in the air. Satellite images showing a high concentration of aerosols were mistakenly interpreted as a cloud of dust or polluted air. However, as meteorologists clarified, these aerosols turned out to be ordinary water droplets, which, due to high atmospheric humidity, are perceived by satellites as dust.

The reason for the deterioration in air quality in Kyiv was stable weather conditions. Due to the anticyclone, the air is pressed to the ground, which slows down its mixing. In such conditions, small water droplets accumulate in the air, as well as retain harmful emissions from transport and other urban sources, leading to an increase in local nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

These phenomena are standard for the autumn and winter period, when fog and haze begin to occur more frequently.

Where to expect fog and rain: weather forecast for todayOctober 29 2024, 06:13 AM • 33841 view