The extraction of synoptic patterns, and monitoring the origin and pathway of dust storms; Case study: Ardabil province, Iran

Today, dust and dust storms are among the most important environmental problems in the world and Iran, in particular. This study is conducted to identify synoptic patterns of the dust storms in Ardabil Province (Iran) and monitor the origin and pathway of its places. The study period is 34 years for1979 to 2013. The data used in this work are from synoptic stations of Ardabil province and the NASA’s upper atmosphere database. To achieve the goals of the study, the Environment to Circulation, Hierarchical Clustering Methods, and HYSPLIT model were used. According to the obtained results, three patterns of geopotential height at 500 hPa levels were identified. The patterns 1 and 2 are similar to each other such that they exhibit deep trough occurrence, formed from central Europe continuing to half of the Red Sea. Based on these patterns, the study area is located in the East of this trough. The third model represents the occurrence of cut-of-low pressure blocking over the Black Sea and adjacent areas and placement of Ardabil province in the East trough of the formed blocking. The origin of dust in patterns 1 and 2 is the Eastern regions of Iraq and West of Iran while in pattern 3 is at 500 hPa level of the central areas of Iraq and at pressure levels of 850 and 1000 hPa of the central regions of Syria.