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THE CHANGE IN PRESSURE, DENSITY AND
TEMPERATURE WITH HEIGHT

METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY

The "standard atmosphere" is a term for the average state of the atmosphere. The standard atmosphere applies to mid-latitude locations. The surface is +15 C and the tropopause is -56.5 C. The temperature decreases linearly from the surface to the tropopause. In the "real atmosphere" we know that the temperature change with height is not linear (i.e. inversions, changing lapse rates). But averaged over time, temperature does decrease linearly with height. Pressure and density both decrease exponentially with height. Pressure is commonly referred to in millibars while density is referred to in grams per centimeter cubed. This means pressure and density decrease more quickly with height in the low levels of the atmosphere as compared to the upper levels. It is about 5,500 meters from the 1000 to 500 millibar level but about 42,000 meters from the 500 millibar level to the 1 millibar level.