diff --git a/modules/util/util.py b/modules/util/util.py
index a3f61ccfc37bdef40f1fd6c7186dd1273caf65ea..3af55ecee64af5b20903b99f9f9f11bde78fa331 100644
--- a/modules/util/util.py
+++ b/modules/util/util.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def get_breaks(t, threshold):
     return idxs
 
 
-def pressure_to_altitude(pres, temp, prof_pres, prof_temp, sfc_pres, sfc_temp, sfc_elev):
+def pressure_to_altitude(pres, temp, prof_pres, prof_temp, sfc_pres, sfc_temp, sfc_elev=0):
     if not np.all(np.diff(prof_pres) > 0):
         raise MyGenericException("target pressure profile must be monotonic increasing")