What is a temperature inversion?
A common feature of the polar plateau is a temperature inversion. A temperature inversion occurs when the coldest temperatures occur at the Earth’s surface, and warmer temperatures are some distance above the surface (normally, temperature decreases with height). The temperature inversion may be only 330 feet (100 meters) thick, but the temperature difference can be 54°F (30°C) in that 330 feet! The intensity of inversions is related to altitude and latitude, and is greater in the winter. Strong winds, cloud cover, or precipitation can destroy inversions. Inversions are an important generator of wind across the continental interior.
