Enter the ground temperature and altitude into the calculator to determine the temperature at that altitude. This calculator assumes a standard atmospheric lapse rate.
Temperature At Altitude Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the temperature at a given altitude.
T_a = T_g - (LR * A)
Variables:
- T_a is the temperature at altitude (°C)
- T_g is the ground temperature (°C)
- LR is the standard atmospheric lapse rate (°C/meter)
- A is the altitude (meters)
To calculate the temperature at altitude, subtract the product of the standard atmospheric lapse rate and the altitude from the ground temperature.
What is Temperature At Altitude?
Temperature at altitude is the expected temperature at a certain height above sea level. The temperature generally decreases with altitude in the troposphere at a rate called the atmospheric lapse rate. The standard lapse rate is 6.5°C per 1000 meters, but this can vary depending on weather conditions and geographic location.
How to Calculate Temperature At Altitude?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Temperature At Altitude.
- First, determine the ground temperature (T_g) in degrees Celsius.
- Next, determine the altitude (A) in meters.
- Next, gather the formula from above = T_a = T_g – (LR * A).
- Finally, calculate the Temperature At Altitude (T_a) in degrees Celsius.
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
ground temperature (T_g) = 20°C
altitude (A) = 1500 meters