Case study US
Denver mile-high air
Colorado
Denver’s elevation makes pressure and altitude easier to discuss, but the city remains well within the troposphere. Most of the weather layer still lies above it.
Preparing map style and visible tiles…
Location: 39.74°, -104.99°
Denver stands roughly 1.6 km above sea level. Atmospheric pressure is lower there than at sea level because less air lies above the city. The tropopause is still several kilometres higher, with its altitude varying by latitude and weather.
Locate Denver’s elevation within the atmosphere model rather than placing it near the top of the atmosphere. Compare pressure with altitude, and distinguish this change from the day-to-day pressure variations associated with weather systems.
Exam-style question
Why is Denver’s weather still ‘troposphere’ weather even though the city is a mile above sea level?
Teacher hint: Compare the city’s elevation with the much greater depth of the troposphere; high ground does not place the city outside the weather layer.
Process labs
Sources
- NOAA / NWS Denver
- Met Office radiosondes