Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    The layers of Earth's atmosphere

07:00
4 February 2022

Astronomy explained
The layers of Earth's atmosphere

Every part of our daily lives is spent within the planet's atmosphere, but do you know what happens in each layer? Let's take a look.

Atmosphere explainer

The layer closest to the ground is called the troposphere, this layer stretches from the planet’s surface to around 7.5 miles high. This layer contains the air we need to live and 99% of the planet’s water vapour, it is also where the majority of weather systems and the Saharan Air Layer appear.

Next is the thinning stratosphere. Reaching as high as 31 miles, the ozone layer rests here protecting us from harmful UV rays emitted by the Sun. Jet planes can reach this layer as can cumulonimbus clouds at the lower levels.

Reaching 50 miles from the surface is the mesosphere. This is where most meteors burn up on impact and at the higher reaches temperatures are the coldest found within Earth’s gravitational pull at -85 degrees Celsius. Noctilucent clouds also appear at this level.

The fourth layer is called the thermosphere stretching 440 miles from the surface. The International Space Station orbits Earth within this layer and temperatures actually start to rise due to a low density of molecules. The northern lights appear here.

Finally we come to the exosphere, the final boundary before the reaches of outer space. This layer reaches 6,200 miles from Earth. Most of our satellites orbit at this level where fierce solar winds whip around the planet.

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Weather map of the USA showing an active thunderstorm front between Kansas City and Minneapolis. Numerous lightning symbols indicate severe thunderstorms, along with a severe weather warning symbol.
Monday, 18 May 2026

Tornadoes possible

Dangerous thunderstorm front over the US
Weather map of Europe showing a high-pressure system over Central Europe, low-pressure systems over the Atlantic and Turkey, numerous sun symbols, and temperatures ranging from 4 to over 40 degrees.
Thursday, 21 May 2026

Omega block

The weather in Europe is changing
Split graphic showing a warm temperature map of the UK on the left with temperatures reaching 30°C near London, and a person applying sunscreen in bright sunshine on the right beside a thermometer icon.
Thursday, 21 May 2026

Combating UV

Staying sun safe as heat rises
All weather news
This might also interest you
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday, 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday, 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList