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