Meteorological Factors and Air Pollution

Air pollution levels in a region are affected by wind, location, topography, precipitation and temperature inversions. Wind can carry pollutants to a distance of hundreds or perhaps thousands of kilometres. Consequently, gaseous pollutants may travel to great distances. Pollutants recognise no political boundaries.

For instance, southern Norway and Sweden get acid rain because of SO₂ blown from industries of England and other parts of Europe. Millions of tons of pollutants thrown into the atmosphere by USA are carried away by strong winds to Canada and precipitate as acid rain. Also in coastal areas land breezes carry pollution out to the sea and sea breezes bring pollution back to the land.