At what height is surface air temperature usually measured?

The standard height for measuring surface air temperature is typically set at 2 meters above ground level. This height is chosen for several reasons related to consistency and accuracy when gathering data.

At 2 meters, temperature readings can better reflect the general air temperature that would be experienced by humans and for applications involving weather forecasting. This height minimizes the effects of the ground surface, such as heat absorption and radiative cooling, which can distort temperatures when measured closer to the surface.

In meteorological practices, measurements at this standardized height ensure that data collected can be compared across different locations and conditions, facilitating more accurate weather analysis and prediction across various geographic areas. Thus, measuring at 1.5 meters, while it may also be used in some studies, is not the standard and does not provide the same level of consistency as 2 meters does.