Description of Terms

• TP = Tropopause Height (mb)
• MW = Height of maximum wind level (mb)
• FRZ = Lowest freezing level (mb) or BG if below ground
• WB0 = Height of Wet Bulb zero (mb) or BG if below ground
• PW = Precipitable Water (in)
• RH = Mean relative humidity (%) from the surface to 500 mb
• MAXT = Est. maximum temperature (C) using a 150 mb layer
• TH = 1000-500 mb thickness (m)
• L57 = 700-500 mb lapse rate (C/km)
• LCL = Lifting condensation level (mb)
• LI = Lifted Index (C) using 100 mean layer above surface
• SI = Showalter Index (C)
• TT = Total Totals Index
• KI = K Index
• SW = Sweat Index
• EI = Energy Index

Parcel Derived Quantities (yellow line on soundings)

• CAPE = Convective Available Potential Energy
• CINH = Convective Inhibition (open ended)
• LCL = Lift condensation level (mb)
• CAP = Cap strength (C)
• LFC = Level of Free Convection (mb)
• EL = Equilibrium level (mb)
• MPL = Maximum parcel level (mb)

Wind Parameters

• STM = Estimated storm motion (kts) from 0-6000m AG mean layer, spd 75% of mean, direction 30 degrees veer from mean
• HEL = Storm relative helicity 0-3000m AG (total value)
• SHR+ = Positive shear magnitude 0-3000m AG (sum of veering shear values)
• EHI = Energy helicity index (proportional to positive helicity * CAPE)
• BRN = Bulk Richardson number 500-6000m AG (proportional to CAPE/ bulk shear)
• BSHR = Bulk shear value (magnitude of shear over layer)

Source: The Ohio State University Atmospheric Sciences Program