5. Thermal maps
Meteorological conditions


According to the official expert opinion from the German Meteorological Service, Weather Central Stuttgart, from 15 September 1988, an extensive high-pressure area with its centre above the East of Central Europe determined the course of the weather in the area under investigation on 18 August 1988. The weather was influenced by the circadian radiation conditions and was therefore effected by neither thick clouds nor wind or precipitation. Southwesterly high-altitude winds were blowing in the night of 18/19 August 1988 due to disturbances of a low-pressure system approaching from the West with its centre above the Norwegian Sea. Only little wind was blowing near the ground at night. Wind speeds recorded at the relevant measuring stations during the above-mentioned measuring period ranged from 1.0 to 2.0 m/s. We can also assume that complete lulls (calms) occurred locally.

The clouds, representing a maximum cloud coverage of an eighth, were mainly thin cirrus clouds and they did not prevent the formation of thermally induced indigenous wind systems, which are typical of radiation nights.

The diagonal visibility from the aircraft was estimated at 15 km.

The ascent of the radiosonde at the Weather Central Stuttgart (315 m asl.) at about 1:00 am indicated what is called a ground inversion, i.e. a temperature inversion lying on the ground with an air temperature that is higher by 4.6 K at an altitude of 370 m asl. than at the starting point of the sonde. This is an important indication for the existence of a radiation night and it can be further proved by the records from the measuring stations of the weather Central about the development of air temperature and humidity during the course of the day.

This is why the Weather Central Stuttgart draws the the conclusion in its expert opinion that the night of 18/19 August 1988 was appropriate for the determination of local temperature differences with the help of an aircraft scanner as both cloudiness and wind conditions were suitable.

© City of Stuttgart, Office for Environmental Protection, Section of Urban Climatology

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