How does temperature inversion affect atmospheric conditions and what are its implications for local weather patterns and air pollution levels?

Fig: Temp INVERSION diagram showing warmer air in Troposphere, colder air near surface, indicating the temperature inversion zone. FACTORS CAUSING Temperature INVERSION: LONG night, no wind horizontally, Snow covered surface, CLOUDY sky, lack of any wind shear, stable temperature.

IMPACT OF TEMPERATURE INVERSION: 1. it creates COLD air surface Contact leading to FALL in temperature of COLD waves. 2. it leads to FOG formation and impacts VISIBILITY ex: Punjab during Winter. 3. makes LOW slopes temperature vulnerable while HIGH slopes have warm air ex: APPLE on high slopes to avoid frost in Himachal. 4. it impacts LOCAL micro climate ex: no wind movement. 5. INTENSIFICATION of Winter with drizzle [light precipitation] ex: Rabi crop rains in North INDIA. 6. Also, limits SOLAR insolation due to CLOUDS.

IMPLICATION for LOCAL WEATHER PATTERN: 1. lower drop in Temperature; 2. Impact WIND and AIR movement; 3. unseasonal rains; 4. Creates FOG conditions. It IMPACTS POLLUTION: 1. formation of STAGNANT air leads to CONCENTRATION of particulates ex: Delhi - PM2.5 concentration in winter. 2. it INTENSIFIES SMOG formation. 3. POSSIBLE Acid rain. 4. Creates Breathing HAZARD as per Lancet: 2 million deaths due to AIR pollution.

— Chandana Jahnavi · AIR 50