Inversion. Something to look for?

[South Texan]

I have told the story on here before about pulling up to my brother's house about 15 years ago to pick him and his dogs up to go cat hunting. As I pulled up, I noticed he was burning his trash and the smoke from the burning trash was hovering 1 to 2 foot off the ground and had drifted out 50 or 60 yards from the trash barrels. But the smoke was just hanging at ground level.

That night hunting the dogs couldn't do anything wrong. They looked like superstars but I knew better than that. Then I remembered the smoke from the fire and what it was doing. I just guessed that was exactly what scent was doing that night. Since then, whenever I see the smoke hovering the ground I load the dogs and go hunting. It seems always to be great scenting conditions for the dogs under these circumstances. But...I always wondered what caused these conditions.

The other night I was watching the 10pm news and our local weather man Steve Brown from San Antonio came on and gave the weather report. When he got through he said if you wanted to ask him any questions text or email him and he would answer your question. I thought this was my chance to get my answer that I have wanted for a long time. I told the story above to Steve and asked "What causes these condition?"

His asnwer was "An inversion, cooler air near the ground capped with warm air."

I then goolged Inversion (meteorology). One of the things it says about an inversion is "An inversion can lead to pollution such as smog being trapped close to the ground, with possible adverse affects on health."

This must be exactly what it is doing to the scent of a cat. Trapping it close to the ground and not letting it rise.

CAUSES (quote)
Under certain conditions, the normal vertical temperature gradient is inverted such that the air is colder near the surface of the earth. This can occur when, for example, a warmer, less-dense air mass moves over a cooler, denser air mass. This type of inversion occurs in the vicinity of warm fronts, and also in areas of oceanic upwelling such as along the California coast in the United States. With sufficient humidity in the cooler layer, fog is typically present below the inversion cap. An inversion is also produced whenever radiation from the surface of the earth exceeds the amount of radiation received from the sun, which commonly occurs at night, or during the winter when the angle of the sun is very low in the sky. This effect is virtually confined to land regions as the ocean retains heat far longer. In the polar regions during winter, inversions are nearly always present over land.

I have asked a few old time cat hunters what caused these conditions and they couldn't answer it but told me if I found out to let them know. Anyway... I just thought it was interesting and wanted to share the information. Happy hunting.
Robbie

[Gary Roberson]

"Inversion"...that is a mighty big word for one of my South Texas buddies. I, too, have seen what you describe when living in South Texas not too far from you. I feel the relatively short distance to the gulf may have something to do with it but just don't see it happen here though I am sure it has at some time. Another thing I really miss here is "dew". Seems we had a dew most every night unless in a severe drought. Up here, about the only time we have a dew is a morning or two after a good rain.

[South Texan]

Gary
Your right. Awful big word for me. I didn't have a clue what Steve was talking about until I looked it up and done a little reading but I sure think he's right. But that wasn't my word it was Steve's. I'm just an old south Texas boy don't ya know. Say howdy to all.
Robbie

[outlaw13]

In the polar regions during winter, inversions are nearly always present over land.

I know this says in the polar regions, But do you think that inversions are a main factor that causes catch rates to increase during the winter.

[South Texan]

In polar regions, during winter, inversions are nearly always present.

I don't think we have inversions near as often as they do in the polar regions but when we do yes I believe our catch rates go up and I believe it is a main factor. I know here, under these conditions, it is a major factor.
Robbie

[al baldwin]

Not sure about inversions, however, do know hounds have caught some bobcats here on mornings when the heavy fog was hanging low to the ground. I mean cats that had been ran numerous times by my pack as well as other packs and eluded those packs numerous times by using the roads. Over years numerous caught this way, however, I recall one such catch on ground, that I deeply regretted, because seemed when could not find a track elsewhere, could most likely get some good trail work on that female. I know some don/t like to talk about or spend time on such cats, but to me they were what I enjoyed at times. And good thing because, at times, those type was mostly all that were alive to run. Al

[LarryBeggs]

When i was a kid I remember an old hunter ( Buddy Smith) telling my dad when his cigarette smoke just hung there in the air close to the ground that it was the best time to cat hunt. I remember dad bringing that up several times through the years.

I know we have temperature inversions around here because out of high school I used to work at the State Forestry. Got stuck answering phone calls after they accidentally lit off a slash burns during these a few times. Lots of complaints. We blamed the smoke on temperature inversions.