What Is Potential Temperature?
The temperature air would have if brought down to sea-level pressure without adding or removing heat. It lets you compare air at different heights fairly. In technical terms: The temperature a parcel would attain if brought dry adiabatically to 1000 hPa: θ = T (1000/p)^(R/cp), with R/cp ≈ 0.286; conserved in dry adiabatic motion.
Also called: Theta, θ
Potential Temperature In Plain English
The temperature air would have if brought down to sea-level pressure without adding or removing heat. It lets you compare air at different heights fairly.
The Technical Definition
The temperature a parcel would attain if brought dry adiabatically to 1000 hPa: θ = T (1000/p)^(R/cp), with R/cp ≈ 0.286; conserved in dry adiabatic motion.
