A Regional Analysis of the Relationship Between Carbon Monoxide Pollution and Precipitation in the Northeast Megalopolis, USA

Statistical analyses relating carbon monoxide (CO) pollution and precipitation enhancement have been performed to explain a potential weekly link in the United States of America's Northeast Megalopolis. I investigated the weekly relationship between CO and precipitation using instrumental records from 2009. I also investigated whether CO pollution generally affects precipitation levels in the Megalopolis. Finally, I briefly compared the patterns of precipitation and carbon monoxide in Megalopolis to see if weather systems remained isolated to the surroundings cities or moved sequentially up the Atlantic coast.;Results confirm that there was a statistically significant difference between weekday and weekend CO and precipitation levels in Baltimore and Philadelphia. There were weekly cycles in precipitation and CO in Baltimore and New York, and an overall precipitation enhancement in the Megalopolis because of CO pollution. The results also indicate a sequential movement of precipitation and CO up the Atlantic coast from Washington, D.C. toward Boston. Overall, weekly distribution patterns of CO and precipitation patterns did exist in some places in 2009, while prevailing wind patterns and CO's cloud nucleating capabilities may partially account for the sequential movement of CO and precipitation enhancement in the study area.