Boiling Point Calculator - The Virtual Weber Bullet

Boiling Point Calculator	Originally posted: 06/01/2000 Last updated: 03/30/2010

When testing the accuracy of a thermometer in boiling water, it's important to know the boiling point of water at your location, especially if you live at high altitude. The boiling point of water is influenced mainly by atmospheric pressure, and atmospheric pressure varies based on your altitude and current weather conditions. Since weather conditions change from day to day, it's best to determine the boiling point of water right at the time you are about to test your thermometer.

Here's a calculator that estimates the boiling point of water based on your current barometric pressure in inches of mercury (inHg) and your elevation in feet.

To determine your barometric pressure, visit The Weather Channel.
- Enter your city name or ZIP code on the home page to look up your current weather conditions.
- Note your barometric pressure.
- You can also get your current pressure from The Weather Channel on television.
To determine your elevation in the United States, try using the USGS Geographic Names Information System.
- Enter your city name in the "Feature Name" field.
- Select your state from the "State or Territory" list.
- Select your county from the "County" list.
- Select "Populated Place" from the "Feature Class" list.
- Click "Send Query".
- If your city is found, click on it to view detailed information.
- Note your elevation.
If you can't determine your elevation at the USGS site, or if you don't live in the United States, use a search engine like Google to search on the phrase "elevation of London, England", substituting your own city name. The elevation will often be listed with information about nearby airports or on a city's Web site.

Why Do I Have To Provide My Elevation?

The barometric pressure for your location that is reported on the Web or on television has been adjusted to sea level. To perform a valid boiling point calculation, you must provide your elevation so the sea level adjustment can be "undone".

If you have a barometer at home with a pressure reading that is not adjusted to sea level, just enter zero in the Elevation field.

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