The hectopascal (hPa) is a commonly used unit for measuring atmospheric pressure, especially in meteorology. One hPa is equivalent to 100 pascals, making it a preferred measurement over pascals due to the convenient scale. Interestingly, 1 hPa is also equivalent to 1 millibar, a unit that was widely used before the adoption of the hectopascal. This equivalence makes it easy for transitioning instruments and readings in weather maps and reports.
Hectopascals play a crucial role in understanding atmospheric conditions, such as weather forecasting and studying phenomena like hurricanes or cyclones. Typically, sea-level pressure is around 1013 hPa, and deviations from this can indicate changing weather patterns, with lower pressures often associated with storm systems. This connection makes the hPa unit vital for predicting and understanding weather events globally.
The millibar, a unit of pressure, traces its origins back to the 1800s when it was introduced by the meteorologists Henry H. Hilderbrandsson and Vagn Walfrid Ekman. Used primarily in meteorology, the millibar found its place in daily weather reports around the world. Measuring atmospheric pressure in thousands, one millibar equates to 100 pascals in the SI system, providing a convenient scale for understanding variations in atmospheric conditions.
Intriguingly, the typical sea-level atmospheric pressure is about 1013 millibars. This is the weight of the air around us, controlled by a delicate balance of gases and climatic factors. During severe weather events, such as hurricanes, the central pressure can drastically drop to around 920 millibars, signifying powerful winds and storms. This makes the millibar not just a scientific measure, but a crucial tool for predicting and understanding weather patterns.
| Hectopascals | Millibar |
|---|---|
0
hPa
|
0
mbar
|
10
hPa
|
10
mbar
|
20
hPa
|
20
mbar
|
30
hPa
|
30
mbar
|
40
hPa
|
40
mbar
|
50
hPa
|
50
mbar
|
60
hPa
|
60
mbar
|
70
hPa
|
70
mbar
|
80
hPa
|
80
mbar
|
90
hPa
|
90
mbar
|
100
hPa
|
100
mbar
|
110
hPa
|
110
mbar
|
120
hPa
|
120
mbar
|
130
hPa
|
130
mbar
|
140
hPa
|
140
mbar
|
150
hPa
|
150
mbar
|
160
hPa
|
160
mbar
|
170
hPa
|
170
mbar
|
180
hPa
|
180
mbar
|
190
hPa
|
190
mbar
|
200
hPa
|
200
mbar
|
210
hPa
|
210
mbar
|
220
hPa
|
220
mbar
|
230
hPa
|
230
mbar
|
240
hPa
|
240
mbar
|
250
hPa
|
250
mbar
|
260
hPa
|
260
mbar
|
270
hPa
|
270
mbar
|
280
hPa
|
280
mbar
|
290
hPa
|
290
mbar
|
300
hPa
|
300
mbar
|
310
hPa
|
310
mbar
|
320
hPa
|
320
mbar
|
330
hPa
|
330
mbar
|
340
hPa
|
340
mbar
|
350
hPa
|
350
mbar
|
360
hPa
|
360
mbar
|
370
hPa
|
370
mbar
|
380
hPa
|
380
mbar
|
390
hPa
|
390
mbar
|
400
hPa
|
400
mbar
|
410
hPa
|
410
mbar
|
420
hPa
|
420
mbar
|
430
hPa
|
430
mbar
|
440
hPa
|
440
mbar
|
450
hPa
|
450
mbar
|
460
hPa
|
460
mbar
|
470
hPa
|
470
mbar
|
480
hPa
|
480
mbar
|
490
hPa
|
490
mbar
|
500
hPa
|
500
mbar
|
510
hPa
|
510
mbar
|
520
hPa
|
520
mbar
|
530
hPa
|
530
mbar
|
540
hPa
|
540
mbar
|
550
hPa
|
550
mbar
|
560
hPa
|
560
mbar
|
570
hPa
|
570
mbar
|
580
hPa
|
580
mbar
|
590
hPa
|
590
mbar
|
600
hPa
|
600
mbar
|
610
hPa
|
610
mbar
|
620
hPa
|
620
mbar
|
630
hPa
|
630
mbar
|
640
hPa
|
640
mbar
|
650
hPa
|
650
mbar
|
660
hPa
|
660
mbar
|
670
hPa
|
670
mbar
|
680
hPa
|
680
mbar
|
690
hPa
|
690
mbar
|
700
hPa
|
700
mbar
|
710
hPa
|
710
mbar
|
720
hPa
|
720
mbar
|
730
hPa
|
730
mbar
|
740
hPa
|
740
mbar
|
750
hPa
|
750
mbar
|
760
hPa
|
760
mbar
|
770
hPa
|
770
mbar
|
780
hPa
|
780
mbar
|
790
hPa
|
790
mbar
|
800
hPa
|
800
mbar
|
810
hPa
|
810
mbar
|
820
hPa
|
820
mbar
|
830
hPa
|
830
mbar
|
840
hPa
|
840
mbar
|
850
hPa
|
850
mbar
|
860
hPa
|
860
mbar
|
870
hPa
|
870
mbar
|
880
hPa
|
880
mbar
|
890
hPa
|
890
mbar
|
900
hPa
|
900
mbar
|
910
hPa
|
910
mbar
|
920
hPa
|
920
mbar
|
930
hPa
|
930
mbar
|
940
hPa
|
940
mbar
|
950
hPa
|
950
mbar
|
960
hPa
|
960
mbar
|
970
hPa
|
970
mbar
|
980
hPa
|
980
mbar
|
990
hPa
|
990
mbar
|
1000
hPa
|
1000
mbar
|
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