Meanwhile, the moist, low-hanging clouds become trapped beneath an inversion layer of warmer air, which acts like a lid or cap. This lid may sit at about 3,500 feet.

A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warm air develops on top of a layer of cooler air. This warm layer, the inversion, acts like a cap that seals the cooler atmosphere beneath it.

The inversion layer can trap pollutants or smoke from wildfires along with the cool air. The murky air can also limit the sun’s heating of the ground during the day, keeping the surface cool and ...

The air below the inversion can cool to the point at which condensation occurs, and clouds or fog form. Marine layer clouds often reach their maximum extent around sunrise, when the air near the ...

RENO, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) — Part of living in a valley, is dealing with temperature inversions. Time to break down the science! Simply stated, a temperature inversion is when temperature ...