What happens to the air temperature of a descending mass of air?

Answer 1

Generally, the air temperature of a descending air mass will increase. This is due to the incredible mount of pressure placed on it. Generally, the air mass will also experience an increase in humidity.

Answer 2

Air temperature rises because the air compresses and warms adiabatically (simply because pressure increases). But no moisture is being added or removed from the air, so the dew point and absolute/specific humidity do not change. What changes is relative humidity, which lowers, due to the warmer air being able to hold more moisture.

Answer 3

Edited-- Okay, the whole 'more condensation' theory doesn't make much sense, 'cause if that was the case, there'd also be more evaporation cause of all the rivers blablah. Well, since the air gets warmer as it descends (due to more atmospheric pressure), the relative humidity decreases, which causes it to *feel* drier...

It makes sense if you think of it as two beakers: A small one (representing cold/higher air, which can hold less water vapor) and a big one (representing warm/lower air, which can hold more water vapor). Let's say the small one can hold up to 100mL of water, and it's filled up to 90mL of water- This, representing the cold/higher air, holds almost as much water as it can, so it will feel humid. Now, the big beaker, representing the warm/descending air, can hold up to 500mL of water, but since it's still the same air as the cold/higher air, it still only holds 90mL of water. This would cause the air to *feel* dry, because it's ABLE to hold up to 500mL, but only holds 90mL. ...Note: My original theory was that there'd be more condensation occurring, since there's more mass to condense on at the surface (which would make the air lose water vapor, obviously). :P

Answer 4

As a mass of air descends, it undergoes adiabatic compression, which causes it to warm up due to the increasing pressure. This process is known as adiabatic warming, and it occurs at a rate of around 1°C per 100 meters of descent.

Answer 5

because it likes to have fun touching its self

Answer 6

Moisture tends to expand and rise as it is heated. As the air mass cools, it becomes denser and moves away from the moisture in the upper atmosphere as it falls.

Answer 7

A descending mass of air will have its temperature increase because of the pressure exerted on it. Because its temperature increases it will also be able to hold more water and feel drier.