posted 05-28-2001 10:44 AM
A couple of sites that will provide data to calculate the relative humidity at altitude. For contrails to become longlasting visible cirrus-like cloud formations , a temperature of -40C/lower and 70% humidity /greater is needed. GOES Atmospheric Soundings:
http://orbit35i.nesdis.noaa.gov/goes/soundings/skewt/html/skewtus.html
Relative Humidity Calculator:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/Medford/information/calculator.html
Change temperature from Celcius to Fahrenheit
Example
Vancouver, BC
May28/01 1200 GMT
http://orbit35i.nesdis.noaa.gov/goes/soundings/skewt/html/cyvr.html
250mb...................33,300 feet
Temperature............-45C/-49F
DewPoint Temperature...-62C/-80F
Relative humidity......11%
The air at 33,300 feet is to dry for trails to become longlasting cirrus-like cloud formations.
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