Temperature at Altitude Calculator

Calculate Temperature Drop with Elevation

Calculate temperature at different altitudes using the atmospheric lapse rate with detailed step-by-step solutions.

Input Parameters

Standard atmospheric lapse rate is 6.5°C/km (3.5°F/1000ft)

Formula:
T(h) = T₀ - (L × h)
where T(h) is temperature at altitude, T₀ is ground temperature, L is lapse rate, h is altitude

Atmospheric Lapse Rate

The atmospheric lapse rate is the rate at which temperature decreases with increasing altitude in the troposphere.

Standard Lapse Rate:

6.5°C per kilometer

3.5°F per 1000 feet

Example:

At 3000m altitude with 20°C ground temperature, expect about 0.5°C

Features

  • Step-by-step calculations
  • Multiple temperature units (°C, °F)
  • Multiple altitude units (m, ft, km)
  • Customizable lapse rate
  • Automatic unit conversion
  • Temperature drop calculation
  • Copy results
  • Quick examples
  • Extreme temperature warnings

Lapse Rate Types

Dry Adiabatic:

~9.8°C/km - Unsaturated air

Moist Adiabatic:

~6°C/km - Saturated air

Environmental:

~6.5°C/km - Standard atmosphere

Inversion:

Temperature increases with altitude

Altitude Examples

Denver, CO:

1,609 m (5,280 ft)

Mt. Everest:

8,848 m (29,029 ft)

Cruising Altitude:

10,668 m (35,000 ft)

Troposphere Top:

~12,000 m (39,370 ft)

Use Cases

  • Aviation flight planning
  • Mountain climbing preparation
  • Weather forecasting
  • Meteorology studies
  • Hiking and trekking planning
  • Atmospheric science research
  • Climate modeling
  • Engineering design calculations

Applications

Real-World Applications:

Aviation:

Calculate cabin temperature and icing conditions

Mountaineering:

Plan clothing and equipment for expeditions

Weather:

Predict temperature at different elevations

Agriculture:

Determine frost risk at various altitudes