Definition: Equivalent Potential Temperature
The equivalent temperature (Te) is the temperature a sample of air at a pressure level would have if all its moisture were condensed out by a pseudo-adiabatic process (whereby all the condensed moisture is immediately removed from the air sample). The latent heat of condensation then heats the air sample. Sometimes, the equivalent temperature is termed the "adiabatic equivalent temperature."
Equivalent potential temperature is commonly expressed in kelvins. However, in this module we will use °C for the sake of convenience. To convert from K to °C, simply subtract 273.15.