CI Even With Thin Middle To High Clouds - CI Is Occurring!

The CI and GOES-15 visible image in the upper right shows a cursor readout with a 15% CI probability at 2030 UTC just southwest of the Pendleton, OR CWA. This was occurring, despite some relatively thin middle to high clouds moving through the area. This would suggest that the CI value would be much higher, if the middle to high clouds were not present.

Below is the 1-minute SRSOR imagery with this developing cell at 2030 UTC. The imagery clearly showed a robust updraft developing.

The MRMS 0.5km MSL Composite Reflectivity radar image below (upper left image) at 2030 UTC showed this cell indeed had risen above the 35 dBZ threshold (46.5 dBZ in the composite reflectivity). Thus, this cell would likely have had a higher CI without the thinner middle to high clouds present. JJW