| Term: | Melting level |
| Definition: |
The altitude at which ice crystals and snowflakes begin to melt as they descend through the atmosphere. In cloud physics and in radar meteorology, this is the accepted term for the 0C constant-temperature surface ( see bright band). It is physically more apt than the corresponding operational term, freezing level, for melting of pure ice must begin very near 0C, but freezing of liquid water can occur over a broad range of temperatures (between 0 and -40C; see supercooling). AMSglossary
GCW |