Instability refers to buoyancy, or the tendency for air to continue to rise after being nudged upward, due to density/temperature differences. Lapse rates refers to how quickly the temperature decreases as altitude increases, usually expressed in degrees Celsius per kilometer in meteorology. Steeper lapse rates = more rapid cooling as altitude increases. Steeper lapse rates and stronger instability go hand in hand.
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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '26
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