The Breakdown of a Low-level Inversion Studied by Means of Detailed Soundings with a Modified Radiosonde
A short series of unusually detailed temperature, humidity, and wind soundings to a height of about 750 mb., made at Silver Hill, Md. on the night of October 30th and 31st, 1950, and consisting of eight flights of specially modified radiosondes and 26 double-theodolite pilot balloon runs, is presented. The nocturnal breakdown of the ground inversion with steep wind gradients, a phenomenon first remarked by Durst in 1933, is here observed apparently to be associated with the sudden lowering of an upper (turbulence or subsidence) inversion. Alternative explanations for this are advanced, and implications for minimum temperature and stratus forecasting noted. The accuracy of the observations is discussed.