Other Names

Cloud Cover, Cloud Amount, Cloud Presence, Cloud Frequency

Definition

The fraction of the sky that is covered by the cloud; also referred as Cloud Amount or Cloud Cover.
Cloud Fraction or Cloud Cover is defined as the number of cloudy pixels divided by the total number of pixel.It also refers to the amount of sky estimated to be covered by a specific cloud type (cirrus, contrail, cirrostratus,cumulus,--),cloud particle phase(water,ice,liquid, mixed), cloud height (low, mid, high) or by all cloud types (total cloud fraction). Cloud differs from fog only in that the latter is, by definition, close (a few meters) to the earth's surface.

Applications

(1) Surface energy budget	(6) Global warming
(2) Global energy budget	(7) Agriculture
(3) Climate change	(8) Aviation
(4) Weather Prediction	(9) Navigation
(5) Greenhouse effect	(10) Polar Wind estimates

GES DISC Datasets

Quick Search for 'Cloud Fraction' with Mirador
Click on the corresponding 'WHOM access' links in the table below to access products containing specific parameter.

Parameter	Units	Platform /Instrument	Data
			Begin Date	End Date	WHOM Access	Doc
Cloud Fraction at ground pixel resolution	None	Aura/OMI	2004-08-15	Current	OMCLDRR.003	Y
					OMCLDO2.003	Y
		Aqua/AIRS	2002-08-30	Current	AIRX2RET.005	Y
					AIRX2SUP.005	Y
					AIRH2RET.005	Y
					AIRH2SUP.005	Y
Cloud Fraction daily/weekly/monthly averages, global 1x1 deg grids	percent	Aqua/AIRS	2002-08-30	Current	AIRL3.005	Y
		NOAA/TOVS	1978-11-30	1995-07-05	NOAA/TOVS	Y

Other sources for data

1. ISCCP 2. ADEOS POLDER 3. SCIAMACHY(Envisat) 4. PARASOL POLDER