Level of free convection
The level of free convection (LFC) is the altitude in the
Finding the LFC
The usual way of finding the LFC is to lift a parcel from a lower level along the
Use
Since the volume of the parcel is larger than the surrounding air after LFC by the ideal gas law (PV = nRT), it is less dense and becomes buoyant rising until its temperature (at EL) equals the surrounding airmass. If the airmass has one or many LFC, it is potentially unstable and may lead to convective clouds like cumulus and thunderstorms.
From the level of free convection to the point where the ascending parcel again becomes colder than its surroundings, the equilibrium level (EL), any air parcel gain kinetic energy which is calculated by its Convective available potential energy (CAPE), giving the potential for severe weather.[4]
References
- ^ "Level of free convection (LFC)". Glossary of Meteorology. American Meteorological Society. April 25, 2012. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
- ^ "Determining Atmospheric Levels from a Skew-T Diagram". study.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
- ^ Jeff Haby. "SKEW-T: A Look at LFC". www.theweatherprediction.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
- ^ "Convective available potential energy". Glossary of Meteorology. American Meteorological Society. May 1, 2017. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
See also