Significant level

From Glossary of Meteorology



significant level

In a radiosonde observation, a level (other than a mandatory level) for which values of pressure, temperature, and humidity are reported because temperature and/or moisture- content data at that level are sufficiently important or unusual to warrant the attention of the forecaster, or they are required for the reasonably accurate reproduction of the radiosonde observation.

There are definite rules governing the selection of significant levels, set forth in the Manual of Radiosonde Observations, WBAN Circular P, 7th ed. rev., 1957.


Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.