Temperature lapse rate in the Snowy Mountains

Measurements in the Snowy Mountains in southeast Australia quoted by Galloway (1) show a linear cooling with elevation. For instance, in the winter period of June-October, near sea level, an average temperature of 14.5° C is observed on the coastal side, and 11.5° C on the inland side. At 1,200 m in the Snowy Mountains it is 4.5° C and -1° C at 1950 m. This amounts to a lapse rate of about 7.3 K/km.

(1) Galloway, R.W. 1988. The potential impact of climate change on Australian ski-fields. In Pearman 1988, 428-37 (2).

(2) Pearman, G.I. (ed.) 1988. Greenhouse: planning for climate change (Div.Atmos.Res., C'wealth Sci.Indust.Res. Organ., Australia) 752pp.