Stability of the Atmosphere
Convective Inhibition (CIN)
CIN represents the amount of negative
buoyant energy available to inhibit or suppress upward vertical
acceleration, or the amount of work the environment must do on
the parcel to raise the parcel to its LFC. CIN basically is the
opposite of CAPE, and represents the negative energy area (B-)
on the sounding where the parcel temperature is cooler than that
of the environment. The smaller (larger) the CIN is, the weaker
(stronger) must be the amount of synoptic and especially mesoscale
forced lift to bring the parcel to its LFC. High CIN values in
the presence of little or no lift can cap or suppress convective
development, despite possibly high CAPE values. Remember, CAPE
is the "available potential" energy. That energy must
be released to become "kinetic" energy to produce thunderstorms.
Source: NWS
| CIN < 100 | Potential Instability. |
| CIN 100 to 200 | Marginally stable. .
- trigger needed |
| CIN 200 to 300 | Moderately stable.
|
| CIN > 400 | Very stable. |
Other UKAWC Stability Indices:
Ag Weather Center, Department of Biosystems &
Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky
