This study investigates the tropospheric mean meridional circulation important to the development of opaque clouds and the measurement opportunity of the 1.02-μm channel of the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II in the troposphere. A simple empirical model is formulated to derive the mean meridional circulation from the 6-year (1985--1990) statistics of the SAGE II tropospheric measurement frequency. The vertical circulation of the model is assumed to be related to the departure field of the zonally averaged SAGE II measurement frequency from the corresponding global mean in a linear fashion. The proportional constant is calibrated with the observed upwelling circulation statistics in the tropics. The obtained model vertical circulation is then used to determine the distribution of meridional velocity according to the continuity equation. The derived model mean circulation features the influence from both the diabatic circulation and the eddy quasi-isentropic transport, with a distinct pattern of material advection into the upper troposphere from both the lower troposphere and the stratosphere. Most significantly, the model circulation is shown to be highly consistent with the observed free tropospheric aerosol and ozone distributions, particularly with their seasonal variations given the aerosol and ozone source regions. This high degree of consistency illustrates the intimate relationship between the large-scale circulation, cloudiness, and the SAGE II tropospheric measurement frequency, and the robust nature of the empirical model despite the model's simplicity. The discussion in relating the model circulation to the conventional Eulerian circulation and the Lagrangian transport, based on isentropic consideration, is also provided. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union