Morning Temporal Variations of Shelter-Level Specific Humidity

Abstract

The temporal variation of specific humidity during morning hours was evaluated by analytic and numerical model scaling as well as by observational means. The scaling quantified (i) the gradual increase in the shelter increase humidity as the surface temperatures inversion is eroded during the morning hours; (ii) the sharp decrease in the shelter specific humidity when the newly developed boundary layer merges with the previous day's elevated neutral layer. The relation of these patterns to the early-morning thermal stratification and the Bowen ratio was estimated. Observational data supported the general features suggested by the scaling evaluations. The applied significance of the presented specific-humidity patterns is outlined.