Abstract This study investigates the unique winter phenomenon in central China's Twain‐Hu Basin where high aerosol optical depth (AOD) centers coincide with a regional near‐surface wind speed maximum. Based on multi‐decadal reanalysis data sets, satellite retrievals, ground observations, and FLEXPART‐WRF simulations, we demonstrate that strong ventilation‐driven regional aerosol transport dominates the formation and interannual variability of high‐AOD centers. The synergistic effects of the anomalous synoptic‐scale conveyor belt, intensified boundary‐layer ventilation, and the basin's funnel topography enhance regional aerosol transport and convergence, while high humidity and stable stratification aloft further promote vertical redistribution and accumulation. During high‐AOD years, regional transport contributes 56.46% to PM 2.5 concentrations, and ventilation coefficients explain ∼68% of AOD variance. A U‐shaped relationship emerges between AOD interannual variability and ventilation, indicating a shift from local‐accumulation‐dominated mild pollution to transport‐driven severe pollution. These findings challenge the conventional “stable synoptic mode” paradigm and advance understanding of receptor‐region pollution dynamics.
Bai et al. (Fri,) studied this question.