To study the spatial inhomogeneity of new particle formation (NPF) in the polluted atmosphere of China, we conducted simultaneous measurements at an urban site near a petrochemical industrial area and a regional background site in the Yangtze River Delta region from September to November 2015. At the urban site we observed a type of local NPF event (number of events: n = 5), in which nucleation was limited to a small area but persisted for 6.8 h on average during the daytime. Formation rates of 5 nm particles (J5) were found to be correlated positively with the H2SO4 proxy (log J5 versus log[H2SO4] slope near 1) in both local and regional events. Furthermore, J5 was enhanced by the anthropogenic volatile organic carbon (VOC) plumes from nearby industrial area in the local events compared to the regional events. Size‐dependent aerosol dynamics calculation showed that in comparison with the observed regional events, the local events were featured with high nucleation rate (J1.3 > 1000 cm−3 s−1), high growth rate of sub‐3 nm particles (GRsub‐3 > 20 nm h−1), and high number concentration of nucleation mode particles (mean peak N5‐20: 6 × 104 cm−3). Considering these features, the local NPF events of anthropogenic origin may also be an important contributor to cloud condensation nuclei concentrations in urban and regional scales. In addition, the comparison of simultaneous regional NPF events between the two sites (number of events: n = 7) suggested that regional NPF intensity may be underestimated by the single‐point measurement at an urban site, due to the heterogeneity of air masses.

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The Jianghuai area is an “important” region not only for its local pollutant accumulation but the belt for pollutant transportation between North China and the Yangtze River Delta during the winter half of the year (often from October to next February). In this study, a movable boundary layer conceptual model for the Jianghuai area in the winter half of the year is established based on the analyses of characteristics of atmospheric circulations and boundary layer dynamic conditions. This conceptual model can well explain the causes of air quality change and frequent fog-haze episodes. Variations of the intensity and range of the cold and warm fronts in the Jianghuai area in the winter half of the year lead to form a movable boundary in this area. When the southerly wind is strong, or affected by strong cold air mass, the air quality in the Jianghuai area may be excellent with a low air pollution index; Two atmospheric circulations provide favorable conditions for the fog-haze formation and maintenance in Jianghuai area: 1) When the shallow weak cold air mass is below the deep moist warm air mass, a stable temperature inversion occurs. The pollutants are transported to the Jianghuai area by the weak cold air mass, and local emissions also accumulate. As a result, a severe air pollution episode appears. 2) When the northerly cold air mass is as intense as the southerly moist warm air mass, the pollutants transported from North China as well as local emissions will continuously accumulate in the study area, which may lead to more severe air pollution. This conceptual model can help us analyze atmospheric diffusion capacity, and benefit the forecast and early warning of airflow stagnation area and fog-haze episode.