latent instability

latent instability

[′lāt·ənt ‚in·stə′bil·əd·ē] (meteorology) The state of that portion of a conditionally unstable air column lying above the level of free convection; latent instability is released only if an initial impulse on a parcel gives it sufficient kinetic energy to carry it through the layer below the level of free convection, within which the environment is warmer than the parcel.