What typically increases the icing potential within a cloud?

The thickness of the cloud is a critical factor that influences icing potential. In thicker clouds, there is a higher concentration of supercooled liquid water droplets, which are crucial for icing to occur. When an aircraft flies through a thick cloud, it is more likely to encounter a larger number of these droplets, resulting in an increased potential for ice to accumulate on the aircraft's surfaces. This happens because the aircraft can collide with these droplets, which then freeze upon contact, leading to ice formation.

In contexts where clouds are thicker, the updrafts and downdrafts can also be stronger, allowing for more substantial cloud development and consequently a greater chance of finding supercooled water. Therefore, thick clouds provide a environment that is conducive to icing rather than thinner clouds, which may hold fewer droplets and, consequently, lower icing potential.