diff --git a/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl b/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
index e615d63920..a496a80bc0 100644
--- a/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
+++ b/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ function set_diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities!(Y, p, t)
                 p_prev_level,
                 ρ_prev_level,
                 buoyancy_flux_sfc_halflevel,
-                ρaʲ_prev_level / ρʲ_prev_level,
+                draft_area(ρaʲ_prev_level, ρʲ_prev_level),
                 get_physical_w(
                     u³ʲ_prev_halflevel,
                     local_geometry_prev_halflevel,
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ function set_diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities!(Y, p, t)
                 p_prev_level,
                 ρ_prev_level,
                 buoyancy_flux_sfc_halflevel,
-                ρaʲ_prev_level / ρʲ_prev_level,
+                draft_area(ρaʲ_prev_level, ρʲ_prev_level),
                 get_physical_w(
                     u³ʲ_prev_halflevel,
                     local_geometry_prev_halflevel,
diff --git a/src/cache/edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl b/src/cache/edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
index 4d1025f8ab..b4a517089a 100644
--- a/src/cache/edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
+++ b/src/cache/edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ function set_edmf_precomputed_quantities!(Y, p, ᶠuₕ³, t)
             ᶜp,
             Y.c.ρ,
             buoyancy_flux,
-            Y.c.sgsʲs.:($$j).ρa / ᶜρʲs.:($$j),
+            draft_area(Y.c.sgsʲs.:($$j).ρa, ᶜρʲs.:($$j)),
             get_physical_w(ᶜuʲs.:($$j), ᶜlg),
             TD.relative_humidity(thermo_params, ᶜtsʲs.:($$j)),
             ᶜphysical_buoyancy(params, ᶜρ_ref, ᶜρʲs.:($$j)),
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ function set_edmf_precomputed_quantities!(Y, p, ᶠuₕ³, t)
             ᶜp,
             Y.c.ρ,
             buoyancy_flux,
-            Y.c.sgsʲs.:($$j).ρa / ᶜρʲs.:($$j),
+            draft_area(Y.c.sgsʲs.:($$j).ρa, ᶜρʲs.:($$j)),
             get_physical_w(ᶜuʲs.:($$j), ᶜlg),
             TD.relative_humidity(thermo_params, ᶜtsʲs.:($$j)),
             ᶜphysical_buoyancy(params, ᶜρ_ref, ᶜρʲs.:($$j)),
diff --git a/src/cache/precomputed_quantities.jl b/src/cache/precomputed_quantities.jl
index 39d9585750..88e8e95d0c 100644
--- a/src/cache/precomputed_quantities.jl
+++ b/src/cache/precomputed_quantities.jl
@@ -344,8 +344,8 @@ function output_sgs_quantities(Y, p, t)
     set_sgs_ᶠu₃!(u₃⁺, ᶠu₃⁺, Y, turbconv_model)
     set_velocity_quantities!(ᶜu⁺, ᶠu³⁺, ᶜK⁺, ᶠu₃⁺, Y.c.uₕ, ᶠuₕ³)
     ᶜts⁺ = @. ts_sgs(thermo_args..., ᶜspecific⁺, ᶜK⁺, ᶜΦ, ᶜp)
-    ᶜa⁺ = @. ρa⁺(Y.c) / TD.air_density(thermo_params, ᶜts⁺)
-    ᶜa⁰ = @. ᶜρa⁰ / ᶜρ⁰
+    ᶜa⁺ = @. draft_area(ρa⁺(Y.c), TD.air_density(thermo_params, ᶜts⁺))
+    ᶜa⁰ = @. draft_area(ᶜρa⁰, ᶜρ⁰)
     return (; ᶜspecific⁺, ᶠu₃⁺, ᶜu⁺, ᶠu³⁺, ᶜK⁺, ᶜts⁺, ᶜa⁺, ᶜa⁰)
 end
 
@@ -361,6 +361,6 @@ function output_diagnostic_sgs_quantities(Y, p, t)
     ᶠu³⁺ = p.ᶠu³ʲs[1]
     ᶜu⁺ = @. (C123(Y.c.uₕ) + C123(ᶜinterp(ᶠu³⁺)))
     ᶜts⁺ = @. ᶜtsʲs[1]
-    ᶜa⁺ = @. ᶜρaʲs[1] / TD.air_density(thermo_params, ᶜts⁺)
+    ᶜa⁺ = @. draft_area(ᶜρaʲs[1], TD.air_density(thermo_params, ᶜts⁺))
     return (; ᶜu⁺, ᶠu³⁺, ᶜts⁺, ᶜa⁺)
 end
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_closures.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_closures.jl
index a16220f4f5..f5f4fed8b8 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_closures.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_closures.jl
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ import StaticArrays as SA
 import ClimaCore.Geometry as Geometry
 import ClimaCore.Fields as Fields
 
+"""
+    Return draft area given ρa and ρ
+"""
+function draft_area(ρa::FT, ρ::FT) where {FT}
+    return ρa / ρ
+end
+
 """
     Return buoyancy on cell centers.
 """
@@ -86,8 +93,10 @@ function edmfx_nh_pressure_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t, colidx, turbconv_model::EDMF
         # look for updraft top
         updraft_top = FT(0)
         for level in 1:Spaces.nlevels(axes(ᶜz))
-            if Spaces.level(Y.c.sgsʲs.:($j).ρa[colidx], level)[] /
-               Spaces.level(ᶜρʲs.:($j)[colidx], level)[] > a_min
+            if draft_area(
+                Spaces.level(Y.c.sgsʲs.:($j).ρa[colidx], level)[],
+                Spaces.level(ᶜρʲs.:($j)[colidx], level)[],
+            ) > a_min
                 updraft_top = Spaces.level(ᶜz[colidx], level)[]
             end
         end