Stability Assessment » Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) Skew-T Procedure
Usually CAPE is computed automatically and displayed as output in electronic versions of the skew-T diagram.
When calculating CAPE, we normally lift a parcel that reflects the mean values of the temperature and moisture in the lowest 50 to 100 hPa. This layer represents the average heat and moisture conditions fueling convective storms.
Remember, you should never rely solely on CAPE to evaluate the convective potential. Also, consider the strength of low-level inversions, the height of the LFC, and other factors related to the vertical distribution of CAPE that could also modulate convection.
For a complete discussion of CAPE, see the module: Buoyancy and CAPE.