hkPa

hkPa, or hectopascal, is a unit of pressure. It is derived from the pascal, the SI unit of pressure, and is equal to 100 pascals. The hectopascal is commonly used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. One hectopascal is equivalent to one millibar. Standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 1013.25 hectopascals. Weather maps often display isobars, which are lines connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure, measured in hectopascals. Changes in atmospheric pressure, indicated by variations in hectopascal readings, can signal upcoming weather changes. Higher pressure generally indicates fair weather, while lower pressure can suggest the approach of storms or unsettled conditions. The unit is practical for meteorological applications due to its convenient scale, allowing for relatively small, manageable numbers to represent significant atmospheric pressure variations.