Virtual Temperature Calculator

Your details

Choose "Dew point + station pressure" if you have weather-station readings. Choose "Mixing ratio" if you already have w in g/kg from a sounding or model.
Actual (dry-bulb) air temperature at the level of interest.
°C
The temperature at which the air becomes saturated. Must be <= air temperature.
°C
Actual station pressure (not sea-level adjusted). Standard sea-level pressure is 1013.25 mb.
mb
Virtual temperature (Tv)High moisture
33.02

The temperature dry air would need to have the same density as this moist air parcel.

Virtual temperature (formatted)33.02 °C
Air temperature30.00 °C / 86.00 °F / 303.15 K
Tv - T (warming effect)3.02
Vapor pressure (e)26.447
Mixing ratio (derived)16.67
Specific humidity (q)0.0164
Virtual temperature (K)306.17
Virtual temperature (°F)91.44
3.02 °C above T
Near-dry<0.5Moderate0.5-2High moisture2-4Very high4+

Virtual temperature is 33.02 °C (306.17 K).

  • The virtual temperature is +3.02 °C warmer than the actual air temperature, reflecting the reduced density of moist air.
  • Relative humidity is approximately 62%.
  • A virtual temperature correction this large significantly affects buoyancy calculations. CAPE computed with Tv instead of T will show meaningfully higher convective potential.
  • Virtual temperature is always >= actual temperature. In absolutely dry air (w = 0) the two are identical.

Next stepFor severe-weather forecasting, use Tv in place of T when computing CAPE and CIN from a thermodynamic sounding to avoid underestimating convective potential.

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