Temperature Change with Altitude on Mount Kosciuszko

Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m / 7,310 ft), Australia’s highest peak, follows the standard atmospheric lapse rate: temperature decreases with elevation.

Standard Lapse Rate

On average, air temperature drops 6.5°C per 1,000 meters (or ~3.5°F per 1,000 feet) of elevation gain in the troposphere.

Applying to Mount Kosciuszko

• Base elevation (Thredbo Village): ~1,365 m
• Summit elevation: 2,228 m
• Elevation gain: ~863 m
• Expected temperature drop: ~5.6°C (10°F) from base to summit.

Why This Happens

• Lower Air Density: Higher air is less dense, holds less heat.
• Reduced Greenhouse Effect: Fewer greenhouse gas molecules above to trap outgoing radiation.
• Adiabatic Cooling: Rising air expands and cools without heat exchange.

Real-World Variability

Actual temperatures vary with weather systems, time of day, season, wind, humidity, and solar radiation. The lapse rate is an average; inversions can temporarily reverse it.

Hikers should prepare for rapid changes: summit conditions can be near freezing even when valley temperatures are mild.