Does thermal inversion typically occur during winter or summer?

Thermal inversion typically occurs during winter due to the specific atmospheric conditions that prevail during this season. In winter, the Earth's surface cools rapidly at night, especially in clear and calm conditions. As the ground loses heat, it cools the air directly above it, creating a layer of colder air at the surface.

Normally, the atmosphere cools with altitude; however, during a thermal inversion, this pattern is inverted. Warmer air becomes trapped above the cooler, denser air near the surface. This situation can lead to the buildup of pollutants and fog, as the cooler air is stagnant and cannot rise, trapping particulates and moisture beneath the warmer layer.

In contrast, summer conditions typically involve more atmospheric mixing due to heating throughout the day, which disrupts the stability necessary for an inversion to form. Therefore, winter is the season most associated with the phenomenon of thermal inversion.