troposphere

noun tro·po·sphere \ ˈtrō-pə-ˌsfir , ˈträ- \

Definition of troposphere

:the lowest densest part of the earth's atmosphere in which most weather changes occur and temperature generally decreases rapidly with altitude and which extends from the earth's surface to the bottom of the stratosphere at about 7 miles (11 kilometers) high

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tropospheric

play \ˌtrō-pə-ˈsfir-ik, ˌträ-, -ˈsfer-\ adjective

See troposphere defined for kids

Recent Examples of troposphere from the Web

Computer models estimated total precipitable water, which integrates the total mass of water vapor from the top of the troposphere to the surface, at about 2.5 inches — an extraordinary level for the area around Harrisburg.

— matthew cappucci, Washington Post, "Harrisburg, Pa., had an epic deluge Sunday: Over four inches of rain fell in a single hour," 24 July 2017
Correcting these inputs has been shown to improve the match with surface temperatures, and the same would be true for the upper troposphere tracked by the satellite measurements.

— scott k. johnson, Ars Technica, "How well have climate models done in the upper atmosphere?," 21 June 2017
Blame the volcanoes and Sun Does this mean the problem is that the models are too sensitive to CO2, simulating too much warming in the upper troposphere?

— scott k. johnson, Ars Technica, "How well have climate models done in the upper atmosphere?," 21 June 2017
Once formed, a tropical cyclone is maintained by the extraction of heat energy from the ocean at high temperature and heat export at the low temperatures of the upper troposphere.

— carlie kollath wells, NOLA.com, "What's the difference between a tropical cyclone and a hurricane?," 19 June 2017
The wave may reach maximum amplitude in the lower middle troposphere.

— carlie kollath wells, NOLA.com, "What's the difference between a tropical cyclone and a hurricane?," 19 June 2017
These wispy clouds are made up of ice crystals that form in the upper troposphere.

— erin blakemore, Smithsonian, "Scientists Finally Figured Out Why Earth Twinkles From Space," 23 May 2017
The layer closest to Earth, the troposphere, is where weather occurs.

— laura parker, The Atlantic, "Skydiving From the Edge of Space," 16 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'troposphere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.