On a sectional chart, a maximum terrain elevation figure (MEF) is shown in each quadrant as:
AA large bold number in blue, showing the highest terrain or obstacle in that quadrant in thousands and hundreds of feet MSL, with a safety buffer added✓
BThe lowest IFR altitude in that quadrant
CThe latitude coordinate of the quadrant's center
Why →Maximum Elevation Figures (MEF) appear in each 30-minute quadrant on sectional charts as large bold blue numbers. They show the highest terrain or obstacle in that quadrant, rounded up with a safety buffer (typically 100 to 200 feet added). The format is thousands/hundreds (e.g., '2^5' means 2,500 feet MSL).
Field note →For drone pilots, MEFs give a quick sense of surrounding terrain height. In mountainous areas, a 4,000-foot MEF reminds you that winds aloft at 400 feet above local ground may be quite different than what the reporting station shows.
SOURCE → FAA Aeronautical Chart User's GuideCHECKED JUL 16ACS II.A.K6EASY