That makes a LOT more sense to me than the commonly labeled "UPdraft",
which
implies a wind from below. True UPdrafts only make sense to me near the
ground, where wind over ground obstacles can create eddies and currents,
much like water in a stream burbles around rocks and other obstructions.

Not anywhere near correct, I'm afraid, as any glider pilot can tell you.
Thermals also qualify as 'updrafts', and I've spent many hours being
kept aloft by these updrafts.

Understood, but I'm making a distinction between "lift" (which is a
consistent area of "updraft") and "turbulence" (which is an inconsistent
area of "updraft" or varying relative wind, i.e.: wind shear).

The line is fine, admittedly, but the sky is complex enough to require it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"