通常計算大氣穩定度時會使用垂直降溫率，但是垂直降溫率沒有考慮水氣的影響，因此我們在本文中使用粗濕穩定度(gross moist stability, M)來做為熱帶地區穩定度的量測。造成粗濕穩定度改變的因素有水氣、溫度和雲頂高度。我們利用三組觀測資料及CMIP3模式模擬資料來估計粗濕穩定度，並分為四個不同時間尺度來做探討。在年平均、季節變化和年際變化上，粗濕穩定度主要受到雲頂高度效應及低層水氣效應影響，溫度效應的影響很小。在長時間趨勢上，模擬的結果顯示溫度效應因為全球暖化的趨勢變得較為重要，且會和低層水氣效應相抗衡，所以最後由雲頂高度效應所主導，但溫度的影響並未在觀測資料中的長期趨勢發現，觀測中仍然由低層水氣效應和雲頂高度效應為主要影響來源。
另外我們從濕靜能收支平衡去探討垂直速度、粗濕穩定度、大氣柱熱通量和濕靜能水平平流之間的關係。在年平均、季節變化和年際變化上，垂直速度的變化來源主要為大氣柱熱通量和濕靜能水平平流。而在長期趨勢上，垂直速度改變則由粗濕穩定度、大氣柱熱通量和濕靜能水平平流三者貢獻。

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