nocturnal inversion

atmospheric science

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July 16, 2026

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A temperature inversion is a reversal of the typical atmospheric condition where temperature decreases with height. Instead, a layer of cool air near the surface is overlain by warmer air. This phenomenon plays a significant role in weather patterns, influencing cloud formation, precipitation, and visibility.1

Inversions act as a cap, limiting the upward movement of air and thus restricting convection. This can lead to the accumulation of pollutants and fog near the surface. A specific type, the nocturnal inversion, occurs on clear, calm nights due to rapid radiational cooling of the ground, causing the air temperature to increase with height above the surface. This stable stratification suppresses turbulence.12

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Planetary boundary layer
…this situation, known as a nocturnal inversion, turbulence is suppressed by the strong thermal stratification. Thermally stable conditions occur when warmer air overlies cooler, denser air. Over flat terrain, a nearly laminar wind flow (a pattern where winds from an upper layer easily slide past winds from a lower layer)…
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…this situation, known as a nocturnal inversion, turbulence is suppressed by the strong thermal stratification. Thermally stable conditions occur when warmer air overlies cooler, denser air. Over flat terrain, a nearly laminar wind flow (a pattern where winds from an upper layer easily slide past winds from a lower layer)…
Read More