<p>The wet and dry adiabatic lapse rates apply regardless of whether or not the altitude in question is below sea level. The Dead Sea is 413 meters below sea level. The dry adiabatic lapse rate is 1°C/100m, so a parcel of air moving from sea level into the Dead Sea area would be expected to heat by just over 4°C, ignoring any possible heating from the change from the dry adiabatic lapse rate to the wet adiabatic lapse rate, which is 0.5°C/100m.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-26T17:08:19.300Z
2015-09-26T17:08:19.300Z
BillDOe
<p>Yes.  The height of the ground or ocean surface is of no consequence to the lapse rate as long as we remain above it -- in the atmosphere.  E.g. the dry adiabatic lapse rate is a conservation of entropy as a parcel of air rises or descends.  This means the temperature change is related only to the expansion of contraction of the parcel as it responds to changes in pressure.  When you move down below sea level there is nothing fundementally different than starting at 500 m height and moving down from there.  Both are moving down into higher pressure and the parcel will contract and warm as a result.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-26T18:14:40.087Z
2015-09-27T18:25:39.787Z
2015-09-27T18:25:39.787Z
casey
<p>In many parts of the world there are dry lands below sea level, such as parts of the Netherlands. Since we know that temperature decreases with increasing altitude, does it mean that temperature will increase as we go lower below sea level?</p>

<meteorology><temperature>
Does lapse rate apply below sea level?
zbz.lvlv
# Does lapse rate apply below sea level?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-26)

In many parts of the world there are dry lands below sea level, such as parts of the Netherlands. Since we know that temperature decreases with increasing altitude, does it mean that temperature will increase as we go lower below sea level?

**Tags:** meteorology, temperature


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-09-26. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Yes. The height of the ground or ocean surface is of no consequence to the lapse rate as long as we remain above it -- in the atmosphere. E.g. the dry adiabatic lapse rate is a conservation of entropy as a parcel of air rises or descends. This means the temperature change is related only to the expansion of contraction of the parcel as it responds to changes in pressure. When you move down below sea level there is nothing fundementally different than starting at 500 m height and moving down from there. Both are moving down into higher pressure and the parcel will contract and warm as a result.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2015-09-26. Score: 5

The wet and dry adiabatic lapse rates apply regardless of whether or not the altitude in question is below sea level. The Dead Sea is 413 meters below sea level. The dry adiabatic lapse rate is 1°C/100m, so a parcel of air moving from sea level into the Dead Sea area would be expected to heat by just over 4°C, ignoring any possible heating from the change from the dry adiabatic lapse rate to the wet adiabatic lapse rate, which is 0.5°C/100m.


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