Comparison of Surface and Satellite Observations of

Clouds and Solar RadiationOver Europe

Joel Norris

GEWEX Cloud Assessment Meeting

6 July 2006

× = GEBA station● = cloud station− = ISCCP grid box

SW Flux Estimated from Synoptic Reports

• Estimate radiation anomalies due to cloud cover anomalies to bridge between synoptic cloud reports and GEBA and ISCCP FD solar radiation data

SW Cloud Cover Radiative Forcing (CCRF) anomaly =(mean SW CRF / mean cloud cover) total cloud cover anomaly )

SW Flux Estimated from Synoptic Reports

correlation = 0.87

SW Flux Estimated from Synoptic Reports

correlation = 0.87

×1.8 to account for the positive correlation between cloud cover and cloud thickness anomalies