Standard Weather Parameters - Other Meteorological Parameters

Geopotential Height | Water Vapor Mixing Ratio | Layer Thickness

Other Meteorological Parameters

Geopotential Height

Gives the geopotential height in meters at the indicated level. The geopotential height differs from geometric height (elevation above sea level) and takes into account the variation of gravity with latitude and elevation.

geopotential_height_<level>:m

Available levels (global): 1000hPa, 950hPa, 925hPa, 900hPa, 850hPa, 800hPa, 700hPa, 500hPa, 300hPa, 250hPa, 200hPa, 150hPa, 100hPa, 70hPa, 50hPa, 10hPa

Available units: m, dam

Examples

• MetX chart showing geopotential at 500 hPa level (shading and isonlines):

  

• The geopotential height at 500 hPa at the "Jungfrau" in csv format

  https://api.meteomatics.com/now/t_500hPa:C,gh_500hPa:m/46.5468,7.9826/csv

  validdate;t_500hPa:C;gh_500hPa:m
  2018-01-01T00:00:00Z;-22.1;5539.3

Water Vapor Mixing Ratio

Gives the mixing ratio of water vapor and dry air at the indicated level in kg water vapor per kg dry air.

mixing_ratio_<level>:kgkg

Available levels (global): 1000hPa, 950hPa, 925hPa, 900hPa, 850hPa, 800hPa, 700hPa, 500hPa, 300hPa

Examples

• Query the current mixing ratio for a random coordinate:

  https://api.meteomatics.com/nowP3D:PT1H/mixing_ratio_700hPa:kgkg/47.4245,9.3767/html?model=mix

  

Layer Thickness

Layer thickness is a measure of how warm or cold a layer of the atmosphere is, usually a layer in the lowest 5 km (17,000 feet) of the troposphere; high values mean warm air, and low values mean cold air. Rain and snow are equally likely when the 500-1000 hPa thickness is about 5225 gpm (or 522 dam). Rain is rare when the 500-1000 hPa thickness is less than 5190 gpm. Snow is extremely rare when the 500-1000 hPa thickness is greater than 5395 gpm.

layer_thickness_<upper_level>_<lower_level>:<unit>

• Available level combinations:
  • layer_thickness_500hPa_1000hPa:<unit>
  • layer_thickness_500hPa_700hPa:<unit>
  • layer_thickness_700hPa_1000hPa:<unit>
  • layer_thickness_700hPa_850hPa:<unit>
  • layer_thickness_850hPa_1000hPa:<unit>
• Available units: m, dam

Example

The different layer_thickness combinations in comparison:

http://api.meteomatics.com/todayT06ZP3D:PT1H/layer_thickness_500hPa_1000hPa:dam,layer_thickness_850hPa_1000hPa:dam,layer_thickness_700hPa_1000hPa:dam,layer_thickness_700hPa_850hPa:dam,layer_thickness_500hPa_700hPa:dam/45,5/html