Question

You have received an outlook briefing from flight service through . The briefing indicates you can expect a low-level temperature inversion with high relative humidity. What weather conditions would you expect?

Answer 1

A low-level temperature inversion with high relative humidity can lead to the formation of fog or dew. In this condition, warm air is trapped above cooler air, causing the normal temperature profile with altitude to be inverted. When the air near the ground is cooler than the air above it, it can't rise and disperse, leading to increased humidity close to the surface.

Step-by-step explanation:

A low-level temperature inversion with high relative humidity can lead to the formation of fog or dew. In a temperature inversion, warm air is trapped above cooler air, causing the normal temperature profile with altitude to be inverted. When the air near the ground is cooler than the air above it, it can't rise and disperse, leading to increased humidity close to the surface.

When the relative humidity is high, it means that the air is holding a significant amount of moisture. In a low-level temperature inversion, this high humidity can combine with the cool air near the surface to cause water vapor to condense into visible water droplets, forming fog or dew.

For example, when the temperature drops from 25.0°C to 15.0°C, and the relative humidity is 90.0%, heavy dew or fog can form as water condenses out of each cubic meter of air. This occurs because the cooler air near the ground cannot hold as much moisture, causing it to condense into liquid form.