This paper presents a two-step up-scaling approach to determine the jump relations that must be imposed at the interface between a homogeneous porous domain and a free domain. We study convective heat transfer at such an interface under the assumption of local thermal equilibrium. The two-step approach has the capability of providing closed jump relations depending on intrinsic characteristic of the interface. In addition, from the resulting jump relations, it is possible to determine a particular interface location where the condition of continuity are sufficient. Thus, the use of jump or continuity conditions depend only on the interface location inside the fluid-porous transition region. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.