Shown below is a classic example of CI/CTC spoilage by upper level cirrus clouds.  Note the rather mature convective system over the GLD CWA.  All of the SPoRT CI algorithm detections (upper left) are all in the cumulus field on the outer fringe.   CTC detections, when they occur (upper right), are similarly absent from the main complex.  This has been the case the entire shift.  Perhaps without the cirrus, we would be able to see strength fluctuations in the convective line, but the constant presence of cirrus over the top does not allow the satellite to sense updrafts.  While there have been improvements to CTC over the last year to two to deal with thin cirrus, even that work would not help here.  Cirrus contamination is clearly the main drawback to these otherwise excellent and useful products.

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