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Mingguang is a county-level city in eastern Anhui Province, China, situated at coordinates 32.7833°N, 117.9667°E within the expansive Huai River Basin. This location places Mingguang in a transitional zone between the North China Plain to the north and the Yangtze River Delta to the south, creating a unique geographic context that significantly influences its air quality. The city lies at a modest elevation of approximately 20-50 meters above sea level, characterized by gently rolling plains interspersed with low hills, particularly to the southwest near the Dabie Mountains foothills. Mingguang is positioned along the Huai River, a major waterway that flows eastward, providing some atmospheric moisture but also serving as a corridor for regional air mass movements. The surrounding landscape is predominantly agricultural, with rice paddies, wheat fields, and vegetable farms dominating the rural areas, contributing biogenic emissions that interact with urban pollutants. Mingguang falls within the broader Yangtze River Delta economic zone, one of China's most industrialized regions, though it maintains a more moderate urban character compared to megacities like Shanghai or Nanjing. The city's air quality is affected by its position downwind of major industrial clusters in Jiangsu Province, particularly during prevailing northeasterly winds. The urban-rural gradient shows higher pollution concentrations in the city center, where vehicular emissions and residential heating combine with transported regional pollution. Local topography, with hills to the southwest, can occasionally trap pollutants under stable atmospheric conditions, exacerbating air quality issues during certain meteorological scenarios.

Mingguang experiences distinct seasonal variations in air quality driven by its humid subtropical climate, with pollution patterns closely tied to meteorological conditions throughout the year. Spring (March-May) typically sees improving air quality as increasing temperatures and more frequent rainfall help disperse pollutants, though occasional dust storms from northern China can temporarily degrade conditions. Summer (June-August) offers the cleanest air of the year, with strong southeasterly monsoon winds from the Pacific Ocean ventilating the region, frequent convective rainfall scrubbing the atmosphere, and generally unfavorable conditions for pollution accumulation. This season is ideal for outdoor activities, with sensitive groups experiencing minimal respiratory stress. Autumn (September-November) begins with relatively good air quality but gradually deteriorates as temperatures drop, atmospheric stability increases, and agricultural burning in surrounding rural areas peaks in October-November. Winter (December-February) presents the most challenging conditions, with frequent temperature inversions trapping pollutants near the surface, increased residential coal and biomass burning for heating, and reduced wind speeds allowing industrial and vehicular emissions to accumulate. Sensitive groups including children, elderly residents, and those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions should limit prolonged outdoor exposure during winter months, particularly on calm, foggy mornings when pollution concentrations peak. The transition periods between seasons often see the most variable air quality as weather patterns shift.