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Standard Pressure and Hypsometric Layer Thickness

Calculate standard-troposphere pressure or hypsometric layer thickness from actual pressures and a documented mean virtual temperature.

Use this result well

Inputs that matter
Geopotential altitude (m), Reference pressure at 0 m (hPa), Sources and assumptions, Lower-level pressure (hPa), and 2 more
Output to expect
Standard-profile pressure at altitude, Layer thickness from pressures
  • Check the units and required inputs before comparing results.
  • Keep the assumptions with a copied result so you can reproduce the calculation later.
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Reference & details

How it works

Standard-profile pressure at altitude

Evaluate the dry standard-troposphere pressure profile with an entered reference pressure. Geopotential altitude is limited to −500 through 11,000 m; this model does not describe the observed atmospheric column or calculate an operational altimeter setting.

P = P0 × (1 − 0.0065 h / 288.15)^(9.80665 / (287.05 × 0.0065)).

Layer thickness from pressures

Calculate geopotential layer thickness from lower and upper pressures and the actual log-pressure-layer mean virtual temperature. No fixed sea-level temperature or unobserved humidity is substituted.

Δz = (Rd × mean Tv / g) × ln(P_lower / P_upper); Rd = 287.05 J/(kg K), g = 9.80665 m/s².

Updated: September 2026

Example Scenarios

Inspect the example and its input basis, then substitute your own documented measurements or matched cases.

Geopotential altitude (m): 1500Reference pressure at 0 m (hPa): 1013.25

→ 845.558411 hPa modeled pressure

Inspect the example and its input basis, then substitute your own documented measurements or matched cases.

Lower-level pressure (hPa): 1000Upper-level pressure (hPa): 850Log-pressure mean virtual temperature (K): 285

→ 1,355.768966 m geopotential layer thickness

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mixing observation and model inputs

Use the exact units, timestamp, level and measurement or model basis stated by the selected mode. A similar quantity from another instrument or product is not automatically interchangeable.

Treating an illustrative case as a measurement

Replace the example with your own sourced inputs. Retain missing values and method limits, and keep raw source data alongside a saved calculation.

FAQ

Evaluate the dry standard-troposphere pressure profile with an entered reference pressure. Geopotential altitude is limited to −500 through 11,000 m; this model does not describe the observed atmospheric column or calculate an operational altimeter setting. Calculate geopotential layer thickness from lower and upper pressures and the actual log-pressure-layer mean virtual temperature. No fixed sea-level temperature or unobserved humidity is substituted.

Retain the station or profile identity, observation or issue/valid time, measurement units, quality flags, source and stated method. Missing values, trace precipitation and known zeros have different meanings.

Save weather case keeps an explicit local record. Copy MD includes current inputs and notes; Download CSV includes the current result breakdown. Keep portable copies separately and retain raw source data.

About Standard Pressure and Hypsometric Layer Thickness

Evaluate the dry standard-troposphere pressure profile with an entered reference pressure. Geopotential altitude is limited to −500 through 11,000 m; this model does not describe the observed atmospheric column or calculate an operational altimeter setting. Calculate geopotential layer thickness from lower and upper pressures and the actual log-pressure-layer mean virtual temperature. No fixed sea-level temperature or unobserved humidity is substituted.