PA-23-250 Aztec
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 2000; Flight Crew Type 19
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Weather; Human Factors
While enroute operating IFR; deviating around buildups; we received an altitude alert from ATC. We immediately initiated corrective action and returned to our assigned altitude. At the time of the altitude alert we were off altitude by roughly 400 ft. While deviating around the buildups; we were experience moderate turbulence as well as continuous changes in updrafts and downdraft. I believe this was the cause of the deviation.
Pilot reported receiving an altitude alert from ATC while deviating around weather buildups.