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The autumn and winter months are coming. Temperatures are starting to drop in Garrotxa but we don’t stop. We continue flying to show the landscape of the region in the months of December, January, February and March. But there is one question that everyone asks when they want to come, do you get cold on a hot air balloon?
So let’s solve this question.
We must start by knowing that the earth heats up because the radiation coming from the sun goes directly to the earth’s crust, without letting the gases between the sun and the earth absorb the particles.
The earth’s crust increases the temperature. As it heats up, it also emits radiation, in this case, in the direction of the troposphere and unlike the radiation emitted by the sun, this is absorbed by the gases. For this reason, as it moves away from the earth’s crust, the radiation is lost and as a result the temperature goes down. It has been stipulated that the temperature drops gradually by 1° every 1000ft.
With this information we could think that it is real that the higher the altitude the colder it will be, however we must analyze more factors.
The first factor that will change the temperature is the isotherms. They are lines that join the points with the same temperature on the globe. Normally, we look at them horizontally on the globe, however if we look at them vertically we will also see that they can have different separations. So if the isotherms are closer together the temperature will drop faster and when they are further the temperature will drop more slowly. In this way, depending on the conditions and the place, this 1° every 304.8 m will be differnt.
The second aspect to consider is the temperature inversion. There are different types, but the one that affects us in the balloon flight is the terrestrial inversion. This usually forms when there are calm nights with little wind. What happens is that the earth’s surface emits a lot of radiation into space. The earth it gets cold and the closer layers also drop the temperature. However, the upper layers still maintain the temperature of the radiations that the earth’s crust has emitted. For this reason, the temperature when we take off will be lower and as we gain altitude, the temperature will be higher.
So far we can see that the general rule that the temperature drops 1° every 300 meters is not quite right and we can find that even if we have 0° temperature on the ground, at 2000 m it’s can be the same or better. But we continue to see if it is cold on a hot air balloon.
On the other hand, apart from the temperature we have, we must also have too look at the thermal sensation. Wind and humidity can make it feel much colder than the temperature we can see on the thermometer.
With a balloon, you don’t have this sensation, because you travel with the wind, at the same speed and in the same direction.
The last thing that improves the feeling of cold is the heat given off by the balloon burner. Having to heat the air inside the balloon, we have to light the flame of the burner which gives off heat and improves the sensation.
In summary, we can think that it is cold on a hot air balloon, but as we have seen, the temperature when we are flying can be the same or better. You need to bring jacket, gloves, hats and good socks, but no more than you would if you were going for a walk.
You know, then:
Book a balloon flight in January and February here!
Make the best Christmas gift here!
If we haven’t convinced you to come in winter, book your spring flight here!
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