Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net 1680-7367 1680-7375 7 1 2007 10.5194/acpd-7-2037-2007 http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/2037/2007/ http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/2037/2007/acpd-7-2037-2007.html http://www.atmos-chem-phys-discuss.net/7/2037/2007/acpd-7-2037-2007.pdf 2037 2089 2007-02-13 A meteorological overview of the MILAGRO field campaigns J. D. Fast jerome.fast@pnl.gov B. de Foy F. Acevedo Rosas E. Caetano G. Carmichael L. Emmons D. McKenna M. Mena W. Skamarock X. Tie R. L. Coulter J. C. Barnard C. Wiedinmyer S. Madronich Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA Molina Center for Energy and the Environment, La Jolla, California, USA Comisión Nacional del Agua, USMN-GRGC, Boca del R\'{i}o, Veracruz, México Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, México University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA now at: Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA We describe the large-scale meteorological conditions that affected atmospheric chemistry over Mexico during March 2006 when several field campaigns were conducted in the region. In-situ and remote-sensing instrumentation was deployed to obtain measurements of wind, temperature, and humidity profiles in the boundary layer and free atmosphere at four primary sampling sites in central Mexico. Several models were run operationally during the field campaign to provide forecasts of the local, regional, and synoptic meteorology as well as the predicted location of the Mexico City pollutant plume for aircraft flight planning purposes. Field campaign measurements and large-scale analyses are used to define three regimes that characterize the overall meteorological conditions: the first regime prior to 14 March, the second regime between 14 and 23 March, and the third regime after 23 March. Mostly sunny and dry conditions with periods of cirrus and marine stratus along the coast occurred during the first regime. The beginning of the second regime was characterized by a sharp increase in humidity over the central plateau and the development of late afternoon convection associated with the passage of a weak cold surge on 14 March. Over the next several days, the atmosphere over the central plateau became drier so that deep convection gradually diminished. 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