The convective condensation level (CCL) represents the height (or pressure) where an air parcel becomes saturated when heated from below and lifted adiabatically due to buoyancy.
In the atmosphere, assuming a constant water vapor mixing ratio, the dew point temperature (the temperature where the relative humidity is 100%) decreases with increasing height because the pressure of the atmosphere decreases with height. The CCL is determined by plotting the dew point (100%RH) versus altitude and locating the intersection with the actual measured temperature sounding. It marks where the cloud base begins when air is heated from below to the convective temperature, without mechanical lift. [1]
Once the CCL is determined, the surface temperature necessary to raise a mass of air to that height can be found by using the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR) to determine the potential temperature. In the early morning, this temperature is typically larger than the surface temperature, in the mid-afternoon, it may be the same.
Compare this to the Lifting Condensation Level (LCL) where the air is lifted and cooled without first increasing the surface temperature. The LCL is less than or equal to the CCL depending on the temperature profile.
Both condensation levels indicate the altitude (or pressure) where relative humidity reaches 100%. However, since the actual condensation level depends on the availability of condensation nuclei, clouds typically do not form until the relative humidity is somewhat above 100%.
convective, condensation, level, convective, condensation, level, represents, height, pressure, where, parcel, becomes, saturated, when, heated, from, below, lifted, adiabatically, buoyancy, atmosphere, assuming, constant, water, vapor, mixing, ratio, point, t. The convective condensation level CCL represents the height or pressure where an air parcel becomes saturated when heated from below and lifted adiabatically due to buoyancy In the atmosphere assuming a constant water vapor mixing ratio the dew point temperature the temperature where the relative humidity is 100 decreases with increasing height because the pressure of the atmosphere decreases with height The CCL is determined by plotting the dew point 100 RH versus altitude and locating the intersection with the actual measured temperature sounding It marks where the cloud base begins when air is heated from below to the convective temperature without mechanical lift 1 Once the CCL is determined the surface temperature necessary to raise a mass of air to that height can be found by using the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate DALR to determine the potential temperature In the early morning this temperature is typically larger than the surface temperature in the mid afternoon it may be the same Compare this to the Lifting Condensation Level LCL where the air is lifted and cooled without first increasing the surface temperature The LCL is less than or equal to the CCL depending on the temperature profile Both condensation levels indicate the altitude or pressure where relative humidity reaches 100 However since the actual condensation level depends on the availability of condensation nuclei clouds typically do not form until the relative humidity is somewhat above 100 See also EditAtmospheric convection Atmospheric thermodynamics Lifting condensation level and level of free convectionReferences Edit Jeff Haby The difference between the LCL and the CCL Retrieved 14 October 2014 External links EditSKEW T A LOOK AT CCL Convective condensation level CCL Glossary of Meteorology This climatology meteorology related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Convective condensation level amp oldid 1110908787, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
