Earth from orbit, showing sunlight filtered into a reddish hue by the troposphere, while casting shadows from different cloud types. The stratosphere forms a thin band of blue scattered sunlight along the horizon.

Almost All Weather Lives in One Thin Layer

The troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer, but it holds roughly 80% of the atmosphere's mass. It also contains nearly all atmospheric water vapor, so this is where most weather happens.

Earth's Troposphere and Weather

Stunning bird's eye view of snow-covered mountains beneath a clear blue sky.

Higher Usually Means Colder

In the troposphere, temperature usually falls with altitude because the air is heated mainly from the surface below. That setup drives strong vertical mixing and keeps the layer constantly moving.

Earth's Troposphere and Weather

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