Buoyant instability

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-004090",
  "term": "Buoyant instability",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definition": "A condition in the atmosphere where an air parcel, if displaced vertically, becomes warmer and less dense than its surroundings, leading to an accelerating upward motion. This instability drives convection and the formation of convective clouds and thunderstorms. It occurs when the environmental lapse rate is greater than the moist or dry adiabatic lapse rate, depending on saturation.",
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/buoyant-instability/"
}