Cloud Base
Posted: Fri 14 May 2010 4:51 pm
In the page "Gauges" om the web is a section called Cloud Base.
My question is how is it calculated?
My question is how is it calculated?
It's a fairly well-known simple formula:
((temp - dewpoint) / 4.4) * 1000
temp and dewpoint in degrees F, gives cloudbase in feet (above ground level, which is how cloud base is normally reported, rather than above sea level, which is how I've seen some people do it). It basically works out the theoretical altitude at which the air becomes saturated, so clouds could start to form. Obviously, it's only a very rough estimate, and doesn't work in all conditions, or for all cloud types.