The Bowen ratio ranges from about 0.1 for the ocean surface to more than 2.0 for deserts; negative values are also possible.

In meteorology and hydrology, the Bowen ratio is used to describe the type of heat transfer in a water body.

Latent heat flux is commonly measured with the Bowen ratio technique, or by eddy covariance.

As , however, becomes unbounded making the Bowen ratio a poor choice of variable for use in formulae, especially for arid surfaces.

A 'Bowen ratio' is the ratio of energy fluxes from one medium to another by sensible heat and latent heat heating respectively.

He is also known in the context of meteorology for the introduction of the Bowen ratio, which quantifies the ratio of sensible to latent heat over an evaporating surface.