Cape? Cap?? What's the diff??

[StormSpinner]

This is drivin me NUTZ. What's the diff? Does it...matter?

I look forward to your expertise in answering this. Thank you in advance--

~Karla *StormSpinner*

/headscrat

[Brett Adair]

"CAPE" Capable Available Potential Energy......basically it is the energy that is available to form thunderstorms. High CAPE areas will usually allow explosive thunderstorm development....low CAPE environments can also do this with the correct conditions. The "cap" is like a lid on the atmosphere or a warm layer aloft in the atmosphere that doesn't allow thunderstorms to develop. You want the air aloft cooler at each level to allow the parcels to rise rapidly....the cooler the air aloft (steepening lapse rates) the faster the parcel movement. Here is a good read from one of my professors on CAPE...

http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/305/

Enjoy!