Abstract: The radiosonde observations of eight years (1998-2005), launched from 9 stations over the Gulf of Mexico coastlands of the U.S., are analyzed to investigate local characteristics of Trade-Wind Inversion (TWI). Throughout the whole 8 years, the averaged occurrence rates of the TWI vary from 30% to 40%, the averaged bottom heights of the TWI vary in a range of 2 000~ 2 200 m, the averaged thicknesses, temperature differences between the bottom and the top of the layer and intensities range from 250~300 m, 2.0~3.0 K and 0.8~1.0 K/100 m, respectively. The occurrence rates of the TWI are higher in winter and spring and almost zero in summer and fall. The monthly-averaged occurrence rates of the TWI in whole 8 years show an obvious annual variation pattern. The seasonal and annual variability of the TWI in the Gulf of Mexico coastlands stations are inconsistent with those in Hawaii islands, and these discrepancies can be explained by different mechanisms of the TWI in these two areas.
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Received: 21 August 2008
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