Abnormally Cold Air Effects on Altitude Readings
When flying into abnormally cold conditions, such as >10 deg C ISA deviation to the cold side, the true altitude will be lower than the indicated altitude.
Does anyone know why that actually is? My only guess is that it would have to do with the conditions in which the actual pitot-static and altimeters were made. Maybe the cold conditions cause a loss in calibration compared to the conditions that the instruments were manufactured in?
Or maybe with colder air, the air molecules are more unusually compacted?
Thanks.