Kältenetzen

Kältenetzen is a term used in meteorology and climatology to describe regions of unusually cold air at or near the surface of the Earth, particularly when they are persistent. These areas are often characterized by lower temperatures than their surrounding environments, even during warmer periods. Kältenetzen can form for various reasons, including topographical influences, such as valleys or basins where cold air can accumulate and stagnate, or due to specific atmospheric conditions like inversions where a layer of warmer air sits above a colder layer.

The formation and persistence of Kältenetzen are influenced by factors like local wind patterns, cloud cover, and the presence of snow or ice cover which can further reduce surface temperatures. These cold air pockets can have localized impacts on weather patterns, affecting fog formation, frost occurrences, and even influencing the timing of spring thaws or the severity of winter conditions in a microclimate. Understanding Kältenetzen is important for local weather forecasting, agriculture, and studying the variability of regional climates. While the term is not as widely used as some other meteorological phenomena, it describes a real and observable aspect of surface temperature distribution.