Impacts of aerosols on regional meteorology due to Siberian forest fires in May 2003

We examine the impacts of aerosols on regional meteorology due to intense Siberian forest fires occurred in May 2003 using both reanalysis data and global model simulations. Our analysis of the NCEP-DOE reanalysis data shows 99% statistical significant changes in meteorological variables over East Asia in May 2003 relative to the 30 years climatology. In particular a significant surface cooling was observed up to −3.5 K over Siberia and extended to the North Pacific region with the surface pressure increases up to 5.6 hPa. Whereas, smoke aerosols affected the large-scale circulations and resulted in the increases in rainfall rates of 2.9 mm day−1 averaged over the NW Pacific (10–35°N, 130–170°E). We use the climate model simulations with and without biomass burning emissions over Siberia to examine the effects of smoke aerosols on the regional meteorology. The simulated results show consistent changes in meteorological variables including surface temperature, surface pressure and precipitation rates with the observations over East Asia and the NW Pacific, which support that the observed changes are likely due to smoke aerosols from the Siberian forest fires. The implication is that smoke aerosols from the forest fires should be properly considered to correctly simulate both regional climate and synoptic scale weather patterns. ► Impacts of aerosols from forest fires on regional meteorology were examined in May 2003. ► Direct effects of fire aerosols were found to cause a significant change in regional meteorology. ► Fires affected circulations with implications for regional climate and synoptic weathers.