[--MAIN HOME--] [--ALL HABYHINTS--] [--FACEBOOK PAGE--] THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EQUILIBRIUM LEVEL AND MAXIMUM PARCEL LEVEL METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY Two more abbreviations that can be seen to the right of Skew-T's on the web are the EL and the MPL. The EL (equilibrium level) is the pressure level that is at the top of the positive CAPE area. This is the point at which a rising parcel that is warmer than the environmental temperature becomes equal to the environmental temperature. It is often near the tropopause. The MPL (maximum parcel level) is the pressure level a rising parcel will move to after its upward momentum has ceased. Once a parcel reaches the EL it still has upward momentum. Above the EL, the parcel will gradually slow down since it is cooler than the environment and then stop at the MPL. The MPL is always higher in the atmosphere than the EL. The larger the CAPE is below the EL, the higher the MPL will be above the EL. Updrafts of over 100 miles per hour will often penetrate into the lower stratosphere.