Difference between temperature in green cover and that on the open road?

Question

I wanted to know is there a difference between temperature in a green cover and that on the open road? If yes, by how many degree celsius or farenheit would it be?

Answer 1

Yes, there is a difference but no one can tell you how many degrees because it all depends on so many factors like: how dark is the road cover - new dark asphalt or old grey one.

The difference in temperature is what I experience each time I fly my light aircraft on a sunny day. Places like roads, parking lots, rocks (as we have in Norway) etc. contrasts much with woods, corn fields and water. Hot places create thermic bubbles that rise and shake my plane.

Many years ago, my father who was also a pilot but a military one, crashed his aircraft when taking off from a hot runway in the African jungle. Only a few feet above the runway, a 'air hole' due to the tremendous heat, pulled the plane down as the gear was already retracted and belly landed. The crew was safe but the aircraft was condemned.

Those thermic bubbles or cells, are what glider pilots seek as they use them to sharply turn in them and gain altitude. I also flew glider years ago with my son and whenever we saw seagulls circling we knew there was a thermic rising and we joined the carousel. The gulls don't seem to mind having heavier companions. :-)