Concurrence of Temperature and Humidity Inversions in Winter in Qingdao, China

Abstract

Abstract Concurrence of temperature inversion (TI) and humidity inversion (HI) is a particular configuration of the atmospheric boundary layer with important implications for early warning of fog formation. With a microwave radiometer device deployed in a 2‐month winter campaign at a coastal island in Qingdao, China, we here examine the relationship between TI and HI, and investigate the underneath mechanisms. Cases of temperature inversion are further divided into surface‐based temperature inversion (SBTI) and elevated temperature inversion (ETI), which show different relationship with HI. SBTI typically occurs at night with its strength significantly and positively correlated with HI. ETI also shows a high degree of temporal overlap with HI, but its strength has no obvious relationship with HI. The main explanation for this phenomenon is that ETI may block the vertical diffusion of water vapor, resulting in the formation of HI.

Keywords

• temperature inversion
• humidity inversion
• boundary layer
• microwave radiometer