Usually hill stations is colder than plains. I understand that climate change is happening but I would like to understand the changes behind this scientifically. Thanks in advance !
In a mountainous region one often has 'temperature inversions', for example in the Ganges valley and the Himalayas.
In that case at higher altitudes temperatures are higher at higher altitudes as opposed to a valley or air polluted valleys!
What is a temperature inversion?
In meteorology, an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude. It almost always refers to an inversion of the air temperature lapse rate, in which case it is called a temperature inversion. Normally, air temperature decreases with an increase in altitude, but during an inversion warmer air is held above cooler air.
An inversion traps air pollution, such as smog, close to the ground motly at night with very low wind speeds. An inversion can also suppress convection by acting as a "cap". If this cap is broken for any of several reasons, convection of any moisture present can then erupt into violent thunderstorms. Temperature inversion can notoriously result in freezing rain in cold climates as well.
Cheers,
Frank
Frank Veroustraete One more doubt to clear. As you said, it's due to temperature inversion and it often occurs in mountainous region. So, basically temperature inversion occurs every year in mountainous region, right? But Darjeeling was always cool before but then why this sudden change (this year) leading to warmer temperature.
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