Plain English Meaning

Normally the air gets colder as you climb. In an inversion, the air actually gets warmer for a while as you climb. That warm layer acts like a lid, holding everything below it in place.

Full Definition

An atmospheric condition in which temperature increases with altitude rather than decreasing, reversing the normal vertical temperature pattern. Inversions create a stable layer that resists vertical air movement and often traps moisture, smoke, haze, and pollutants beneath it.

Context Anchor

Pilots encounter temperature inversions in weather briefings, visibility forecasts, and morning or valley weather conditions where , haze, or smoke may trapped near the .