High and mid cloud contamination limiting use of UAH CI and UW CTC Products

Posted in Live Blogs on by Greg Stumpf.

Early high and mid cloud contamination from an approaching upper-level jet limited use of both the UAH CI and UW CTC products across northwestern Oklahoma this afternoon. Storms initiated around 3 pm with the first Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued around 345 pm. The UAH CI product never showed any signs of CI due to this cloud contamination, but the UW CTC product did briefly show some signs of severe storm development as it provided an approximate 20 minute lead time on the first warning issuance. Previous shifts had found longer lead times utilizing the CTC product, but the extent of upper and middle cloud contamination was not as pronounced during those cases.

2025_CI_CTC
4 panel imagery showing nothing from the CI product. The CTC product did briefly pick up on cooling rates near 15 C/15 min at 2025Z.
2032_CI_CTC
Same as above at 2032Z, with CTC showing cloud top cooling rates greater than 20 C/15 min.
2040_CI_CTC
CTC product continued increasing to greater than 25 C/15 min with storm motion toward the northeast at 2040Z.
2045_CI_CTC
Both the UAH CI and UW CTC products show nothing as mid and high clouds continue streaming in with mature storms at 2045Z.

Frank/Guseman

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