Temperature The vertical distribution of lower atmospheric (tropospheric) temperature is largely controlled by: Adiabatic temperature change when air is compressed it warms when air expands it cools During an adiabatic processno heat is exchanged (by radiation, conduction, phase changes or mixing) Cooling of ascending air is due to work of expansion For dry air the rate of adiabatic cooling of a parcel of ascending air is 10°C/km -- dry adiabatic lapse rate In the stratosphere temperature increases with height, reaching a local maxima at the stratopause, due to absorbtion of incoming shortwave (ultraviolet) radiation by ozone. The spatial distribution of lower atmospheric (and surface) temperature is largely controlled by: Differential heating of land and water water takes longer to warm or cool than land water stores more heat energy than land because land is opaque, water is transparent the specific heat of water is greater than that of land evaproration is greater from water Ocean Currents Altitude Geographic location coastal vs. continental east vs. west side of continent latitude Cloud cover and albedo