Quick question regarding CAP value on a SKEW T log P

[Andrew Clope]

I'm in Peoria, IL and was trying to decipher the weather soundings coming from Lincoln, IL today. I read an article earlier today from Tim Marshall "Cap Boom or Bust" and he was saying that a cap value of 1 or 2 is perfect because it will only allow the strongest storms through and they will have all of the free atmosphere to feed on and move through. So I see on the weather sounding that it has a CAP value of 8.1... Does that mean that it is 6 or 7 points higher than what's preferred and that is the main reason why when I look at the satellite view that none of the storms seem to have strong updrafts?

Also, is that why CAPE is only 341?

 

[chrisbray]

Was the sounding you looked at from 12z? If so, that would explain the high cap level because of the nighttime cooling. From what I see, the cap is pretty much gone.

 

[Andrew Clope]

Yes you're right, It was 12, which was 6 am. That explains it