2. Parameters

Temperature/Levels » Wet-Bulb Potential Temperature (Theta-w) Definition

Definition: Wet-Bulb Potential Temperature

The wet-bulb potential temperature (theta-w) is the wet-bulb temperature a sample of air would have if it were brought along a saturation adiabat to a pressure of 1000 hPa.

The wet-bulb potential temperature is identical to the wet-bulb temperature, except the sample is brought moist-adiabatically from the wet-bulb temperature at the initial level to the wet-bulb potential temperature at the 1000 hPa level.

Wet-bulb potential temperature is commonly expressed in kelvins. However, in this module we will use °C for the sake of convenience. To convert from K to °C, simply subtract 273.15.