INVERSION OF TEMPERATURE

Long winter nights, a clear sky, dry air, and the lack of winds result in rapid heat radiation from the earth's surface as well as the lower levels of the atmosphere. This causes the air close the earth's surface to cool. The upper layers are relatively warm because they shed heat more slowly. As a result, the usual situation in which temperature decreases with increasing height is reversed. The a cold air is closer to the ground, while the warmer air is higher up. In other words, rising height causes temperature to rise, either temporarily or locally. The condition is known as temperature inversion. considering that cold and dense air can stay near the surface for several days, the temperature inversion phenomenon can also be observed for several days.

The occurrence of temperature inversion is most noticeable in intermountain valleys. Because of the fast heat radiation, the mountain slopes cool very quickly during the winter. The air above them also becomes lower in the valleys; this air pushes the valleys' relatively warmer air upwards, resulting in temperature inversion. In the valleys, the temperature can occasionally dip below freezing, resulting in frost. The higher slopes, on the other hand, stay noticeably warmer.

Air Drainage - As cold air is heavy and dense, it moves down the incline like water, piling up heavily in pockets and valley bottoms with warm air above. This is known as air drainage.  Cold air generated by the hills and mountains during the night flows due to gravity. Because of air drainage, inversion occurs in slopes and mountains.

Temperature Inversion - Temperatures typically drop as elevation increases. It is known as the normal lapse rate. The usual lapse rate is 1 degrees Celsius per 165 metres of ascent. Sometimes the situation is reversed, and the usual lapse rate is inverted. The phenomenon is known as temperature Inversion. Inversion is typically of short duration, but it is quite common.

Reasons for inversion of temperature- A cold winter night with clear skies and calm air is perfect for inversion. The heat of the day radiates off the ground during the night, and by early morning, the earth is cooler than the air above. Temperature inversions are common in a cold regions all year. Temperature inversions are common throughout the year in polar regions.