Small Altitude Difference

[dryjoy]

I was just wondering, I live on a small hill. We're at 67m above sea level. Down in the town (about a mile away), they're about 20m ASL. Would the small difference in altitude make any noticeable difference to our weather?

[4wd]

There will certainly be a measurable difference, but not always as you might think.

Temperature generally goes down as you gain altitude, by a fairly steady amount - about 1C per 100metres.

However in practice the change as you climbed would rarely be that, as the lower ground might be less breezy in which case at ground level it could be warmer still, or at other times you can get an inversion if it's calm (especially in Winter) and it could be frosty lower down with a definite line above which the frost has not formed.

In some conditions along an undulating route you can note wild swings as low spots are frosty and misty while higher ground is relatively mild and sunny.

[Alan Medlock Valley]

4wd has made most of the right points there. I will as well add that the higher you go the more precipitation falls so if your 47m higher then you will see slightly more snow accumulation than the town centre, nothing extreme but slightly more non-the-less.

Also town centre's are warmer due to more buildings closer together and less open space so in turn creating a heat effect from the days warming so it will make even more difference. If you was 150m higher then you would see significantly more snow/rain, but again at 47m higher you would definitely see a slight difference yes.

[dryjoy]

Thanks for the replies! Makes sense.

[J10]

Thanks for the replies! Makes sense.

If you live on a hill outside a town, you also lose the urban heat island effect, and combined it could make a different in marginal situations.

The majority of times it will not make a difference though.

[I remember Atlantic 252]

I see more snow than town centre, town centre at 80m asl, have known lying snow here, and just pure rain in town, 9th Mar 1999