Convective Available
Potential Energy (CAPE)
qCAPE
is a direct measurement of the instability of the
atmsophere.
qCAPE
tells us how much positive bounancy is accumulated
over an air parcel’s trajectory above its level
of free convection.
qCAPE
is a measure of the maximum upward speed of a
rising air parcel will attain along its trajectory.
qCAPE
values range from 0 to over 3000 joules/kilogram.
qSupercell
thunderstorms form when CAPE>1500 joules/kg.