What characteristic is typical of a temperature inversion?

A temperature inversion is characterized by an increase in temperature with altitude, which is the opposite of the normal atmospheric condition where temperature decreases with height. This condition results in the air near the ground being cooler and denser than the air above it.

Because the cooler air is trapped beneath the warmer air, the atmosphere becomes stable. This stability inhibits vertical mixing and convection, which are processes that typically promote instability and cloud formation. As a result, temperature inversions often lead to calm weather conditions with limited vertical air movement, reducing the likelihood of thunderstorms and other convective activity.

Inversions can also contribute to poor air quality, as pollutants can become trapped near the surface due to the lack of mixing, but they are not directly associated with energies like instability, which favors more dynamic weather phenomena. The presence of clear ice formation can occur in various weather conditions but is not a defining characteristic of a temperature inversion. Therefore, stability is the key characteristic that defines temperature inversions, making it the correct answer.