07 February 2015

Atmospheric Pressure

Pressure Measurements
  • Inches of mercury (Hg) >> for altimetry
  • Hectopascals (hPa) and millibars (mb) >> for weather map analysis
  • measured using a barometer (digital or aneroid type)

METARs give both an altimeter setting and a sea level pressure.  What's the difference?
  • Station Pressure
    • measured at the airport; the weight of the air above the station
  • Altimeter Setting
    • station level pressure reduced to MSL assuming ISA conditions
  • MSL Pressure
    • station pressure reduced to MSL using the average surface temperature for the last 12 hours
    • useful in weather map analysis when patterns across different observation stations must be compared

And just for fun, here's 'Under Pressure' by Queen:

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