Explain dewpoint in weather terms?

Answer 1

This article will explain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_point

Answer 2

Dew point is the temp which a parcel of air reaches a state where it can hold no more water. When the dewpoint is reached, the air contains 100% of the moisture it can hold at that temp, and is said to be saturated. Note that both relative humidity and dew point relate moisture to temperature, two inseparable features of our weather Relative humidity is not indicative of the amount water vapor in the air.
On cool, still nights surface features and objects may cool to a temp. below the dewpoint of the surrounding air. Water vapor then condenses out of the air in the form of dew, which is why grass is often moist in the morning. Frost forms when water vapor changes directly to ice on a surface that is below freezing.

Answer 3

Dewpoint is the temperature (Therefore "Dewpoint temperature")
at which moisture or a water droplet forms.

Imagine a parcel of air, the higher the temp the warmer the air gets which enables the air to carry more moisture. As the air cools in temp it cannot hold the same volume of moisture and then droplets form (usually in the form of fog, mist or even rain).

A good example of this is the Grand banks (Newfoundland) where cooler air from the north meets a warm sea (The Gulf Stream) and the sea warms the cooler air up to its dew point temp and then fog is formed as the air has reached saturation point or its condensation point.

I hope this helps

Some explanations also refer to the condensation level, which is really the height at which the "Dew Point" temp allows condensation to form.

Answer 4

it's a temperature which translates to a measure of how moist an airmass is. Your air is at a given temp and has a certain amount of moisture in it. If you begin to *cool* that air, it eventually becomes saturated and the moisture begins to come out of it, condense-- Form "dew," you know that thin layer of water all over the grass on fall mornings. So the temp at which your air mass begins to form dew is your dewpoint.

Answer 5

Dewpoint is the temperature that dew forms on a cold surface. It depends on relative humidity too.
http://ggweather.com/glossary.htm#D

Answer 6

It's the point at which moisture in the air comes into contact with the grass and forms a large enough drop to make dew.

Answer 7

dewpoint is the moisture in the air/clouds when it reaches 100% it rains.

Answer 8

air contains water vapor, water capacity depends on air temperature, as air temperature rises during the day, more water are added tithe air. at night, with drop of temperature, water capacity of air drops and water excess is exited as dew drops, dew point is the temperature that this process starts.