Stable Weather Conditions
This balloon
sounding would not be conducive for cloud development. An expert
would say that the balloon sounding portrays an atmosphere that is stable.
Thunderstorms are very unlikely in this situation. A stable atmosphere
is present when the temperature of a lifted parcel (bubble of air) is less
than the actual air temperature at any height. On the sounding the
air parcel path is represented by the yellow line while the actual air
temperature is represented by the white line. A comparison between these
two lines show that the air parcel temperature is colder than the actual
air temperature at any level, therefore the parcel's density is greater
than the surrounding air. These conditions will cause the displaced parcel
to return to its original level rather than continuing upward. Please
click on the arrow at the bottom of the page and select another soundings
that you believe would be conducive for cloud development.
Why
Should Air Rise At All? 