Surface weather observations of clouds were analyzed to obtain a global cloud climatology (Warren et al, 1986; 1988). The form of the synoptic weather code limits the types of cloud information which are available from these reports. Comparison of surface weather reports with instrumental observations during the FIRE field experiments can help to clarify the operational definitions which were made in the climatology because of the nature of the synoptic code. The long-term climatology from surface weather observations is also useful background for planning the location and timing of intensive field experiments

Hahn, Carole J.

London, Julius

Warren, Stephen G.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

a 
Abs t rac t  f o r  FIRE Science  Experiment Team Meeting, V a i l ,  CO, J u l y  1988 
CLOUD INFORMATION FOR FIRE FROM SURFACE WEATHER REPORTS 
1 Carole J. Hahn , Stephen G. Warren2, and J u l i u s  London3 
Coopera t ive  I n s t i t u t e  f &  Research i n  Environmental  Sc iences ,  U n i v e r s i t y  
1 
of  Colorado, Boulder,  CO 80309 
'Dept. o f  Atmospheric Sc iences  AK-40, Unive r s i ty  o f  Washington, S e a t t l e ,  WA 98195 
3Dept. of Ast rophys ica l ,  P l a n e t a r y  and Atmospheric Sc iences ,  U n i v e r s i t y  of 
Colorado, Boulder,  CO 80309 
W e  have ana lyzed  s u r f a c e  weather  o b s e r v a t i o n s  of c louds  t o  o b t a i n  a 
g l o b a l  c loud  c l imato logy  (Warren e t  a l ,  1986; 1988).  The form o f  t h e  s y n o p t i c  
weather  code l i m i t s  t h e  t y p e s  of c loud  in fo rma t ion  which are a v a i l a b l e  from 
t h e s e  r e p o r t s .  Comparison o f  s u r f a c e  weather  r e p o r t s  w i t h  instrumental .  
o b s e r v a t i o n s  d u r i n g  t h e  FIRE f i e l d  exper iments  can h e l p  t o  c l a r i f y  t h e  
o p e r a t i o n a l  d e f i n i t i o n s  which w e  have had t o  make i n  o u r  c l ima to logy  
because o f  t h e  n a t u r e  o f  t h e  s y n o p t i c  code. The long-term c l ima to logy  from 
s u r f a c e  weather  o b s e r v a t i o n s  can  a l s o  be u s e f u l  background f o r  p l ann ing  t h e  
l o c a t i o n  and timing of i n t e n s i v e  f i e l d  experiments.  
1. Wisconsin c i r r u s  experiment 
o f t e n  o v e r  t h e  c o n t i n e n t s  t han  ove r  t h e  ocean, and more o f t e n  i n  w i n t e r  t han  
in summer. It  w a s  t h e r e f o r e  a p p r o p r i a t e  t o  p l a n  t h e  f i e l d  experiment f o r  
autumn in Wisconsin, and cases o f  c i r r u s - a l o n e  were indeed encountered .  
a i r c r a f t  and l i d a r  may be used t o  estimate t h e  minimum o p t i c a l  t h i c k n e s s  
t h a t  ground o b s e r v e r s  can d e t e c t .  We c o l l e c t e d  t h e  o b s e r v a t i o n s  from s u r f a c e  
obse rv ing  s t a t i o n s  made d u r i n g  t h e  i n t e n s i v e  f i e l d  program October-November 
1986. There are f o u r  s t a t i o n s  i n  t h e  area, b u t  o n l y  two (Madison and Green 
Bay) i n c l u d e  c loud  type  in fo rma t ion  i n  t h e i r  weather  r e p o r t s .  
are l i s t e d  in Table 1 and summarized i n  Tables  2 and 3. 
Based on t h e  r e p o r t s  in which t h e  p re sence  o r  absence  o f  c i r r u s  could be 
a s c e r t a i n e d ,  t h e  frequency of occur rence  of c i r r u s  d u r i n g  t h e  f i e l d  experiment 
was 422 a t  Madison and 37% at  Green Bay. 
r e p o r t e d  t o  b e  p r e s e n t  a l o n e  i n  t h e  weather  o b s e r v a t i o n s  from 22 October ,  
27-28 October ,  31 October,  and 1-3 November ( a f t e r  c o n v e r t i n g  from GMT 
t o  l o c a l  t i m e ) ,  bo th  a t  Pladison and Green Bay. These are t h e  same days  t h a t  
were chosen f o r  i n t e n s i v e  c a s e - s t u d i e s  of c i r r u s  i n  t h e  f i e l d  exper iment .  
Three of t h e s e  f o u r  cases were immediately preceded by r e p o r t s  o f  "clear sky". 
When t h e  q u a n t i t a t i v e  l i d a r  r e s u l t s  become a v a i l a b l e ,  w e  w i l l  t h e r e f o r e  
be a b l e  t o  de te rmine  a t  what o p t i c a l  t h i c k n e s s  t h e  c i r r u s  w a s  f i r s t  d e t e c t a b l e  
by t h e  weather  o b s e r v e r s ,  as t h e  c loud  th ickened  from s u b v i s i b l e  t o  v i s i b l e .  
As shown in Figure  2 o f  Warren et a1 (1985),  c i r r u s  o c c u r s  a l o n e  more 
Comparison o f  s u r f a c e  weather  o b s e r v a t i o n s  wi th  t h e  o b s e r v a t i o n s  from 
The o b s e r v a t i o n s  
Table  2 shows that c i r r u s  was 
19 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910001139 2020-03-19T20:16:44+00:00Z
Table 1. Cloud rcpurts Cur tI.idleon (stotlon number 72641)  and Crcm nay 
(72645). 13 October - 3 November 1986. sylaluls aro deflncd In Table 4 .  
YR lrIH DY HRZ 
86 10 13 6 
86 10 13 6 
86 1 0  1 3  12 
86 10 1 3  12 
86 10 13 18 
86 10 13 18 
86 10 14 0 
86  1 0  14 0 
86  10 14 6 
86.10 14 6 
86 10 14 12 
86 10 14 12 
86 10 14 18 
86 10 14 18 
86 10 15 0 
8 6  10 15 0 
86 10 15 6 
86  10 15 6 
86 10 15 12 
86 10 15 12 
8 6  10 15 18 
86 10 15 18 
06  10 16 0 
86 10 16 0 
86 10 16 6 
86 10 16 6 
06 10 16 12 
06 10 16 12 
86 10 16 18 
8 6  10 16 18 
86 10 17 0 
86 1 0  17 0 
86 10 17 6 
8 6  10 17 6 
86 10 17 12 
06 10 17 12 
06 10 17 18 
8 6  10 17 10 
86 10 10 0 
86 10 18 0 
06 10 18 6 
86 10 10 6 
06 10 18 12 
86 10 10 12 
86  10 10 18 
06 10 10 18 
06 10 19 0 
0 6  10 19 0 
06  10 19 6 
8 6  10 19 6 
86 10 19 12 
06 10 19 12 
06 10 19 10 
86 10 19 18 
86 10 20 0 
06 10 20 0 
86 10 20 6 
86 10 20 6 
86 10 20 12 
06 10 20 12 
86  10 20 18 
86 10 20 18 
8 6  10 21 0 
86 10 21 0 
06 10 21 G 
86 10 21 17 
06 1 0  21 1 2  
116 l f l  21 19 
86 10,7.' fJ 
UG 10 22 0 
06 10 2 2  6 
06 10 22 6 
06 10 77 17 
06 10 22 12 
8 6  10 23 0 
86 1 0  23 0 
06 I f 1  23 G 
116 1 ( 1  2 3  6 
I16 I l l  . > 4  I. '  
111, I l l  : i I. 
U h  I O  J I 111 
U 6  1o z i  1 1 1  
0 6  10 24 0 
06 i n  21 G 
116 i n  21 i t :  
06 i n  22 i n  
: STA 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72691 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
7264 1 
72645 
7264 1 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
72641 
72645 
7264 1 
72645 
72641 
7 7 6 4 5  
7264 1 
72645 
72641 
72€45 
7 2 € 4 1  
72645 
7 i64  1 
726,4', 
7?64;l 
72: .; 1 7 7 ~ ~ 5  
12545 
7264 1 
72645 
77641 
72645 
12645 
7264 1 
72645 
7/r41 
7 :' r, r, I, 
Ir ' l ,41  
* r . 4 a 8  
1 / 6 4  I 
IZLI', 
7LG4 1 
m 
4 4  
4 4  
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61  
71 
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4 4  .. .. 
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21 
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4. .. 
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48 
11 
2 
2 * *  
t. 
10 
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42 
5 
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N 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
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8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
7 
8 
1 
2 
0 
0 
1 
6 
0 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
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8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
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6 
8 
2 
2 
0 
0 
6 
5 
4 
7 
0 
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0 
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0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
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0 
6 
3 
0 
3 
3 
3 
NH 
8 
e 
E 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
5 
8 
6 
8 
8 
8 
5 
3 
1 
2 
4 
4 
1 
6 
4 
2 
2 
5 
8 
8 
1 
8 
8 
8 
8 
0 
5 
CL 
8 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
5 
7 
7 
5 
7 
5 
5 
0 
5 * . 
1 
5 
8 
6 
8 
2 
2 . 
4 
6 
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t . 
. 
3 
3 
2 
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.. 0 . . 
1 0 0 ' * 4 *  
1 1  I 1 5 0 SI 
4 4 O * * * '  
5 0 . . * '  
4 Z O * ' * *  
. . O * . . .  
5 5 . e . .  .. 0 .  * .  .
. . O . * . .  
1 0 6 0 0 0 6  
* ' 6 O O O 1  
*. 8 6 0 1 7  
6 1 0 3 5 5 .  
5 0 0 0 2 .  
2 1 1 1 0 5 . .  .' 0 ll 0 2 
i o  n o r, * 9 
4ts n I1 !> * 
/ I 1  u u 7 
A *  0 n 6 - 
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4 
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1 
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cn 
4 
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4 
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4 
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4 
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4 . 
4 
4 
0 
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7 
5 
7 
5 
0 
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4 
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4 
4 
0 
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* 
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4 
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3 . 
0 
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CH 
4 
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e 
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0 
111 Hn UA llRZ STA 
86 10 24 0 72645 
86 10 24 6 72641 
86  10 24 6 72645 
86  10 24 12 72641 
86  10 24 12 72645 
86 10 24 18 72641 
86 10 24 18 72645 
86 10 25 0 72641 
86 10 25 0 72645 
86 10 25 6 72641 
86 10 25 6 72645 
86 10 25 12 72641 
86 10 25 12 72645 
86 10 25 18 72641 
86  10 25 18 72645 
86 10 26  0 72641 
86 10 26 0 72645 
86 1 0  26 6 72641 
86 10 26 6 72645 
86  10 26 12 72641 
66 10 26 12 72645 
86  10 26 18 72641 
86 10 26 18 72645 
86  10 27 0 72641 
86 10 27 0 72645 
86  10 27 6 72641 
86 10 27 6 72645 
86  10 27 12 72641 
86 10 27 12 72645 
86 10 27 18 72641 
86 10 27 18 72645 
86 10 28 0 72641 
86  10 28 0 72645 
86 10 28 6 72641 
86 10 28 6 72645 
86 10 28 12 72641 
86  10 28 12 72645 
86 10 28 18 72641 
86 10 28 18 72645 
86 10 29 0 72641 
86  10 29 0 72645 
86 10 29 6 72641 
06 10 29 6 72645 
86 10 29 12 72641 
86  10 29 12 72645 
86 10 29 18 72641 
86 10 29 18 72645 
86 10 30 0 72641 
06 10 30 0 72645 
86  10 30 6 72641 
86 10 30 6 72645 
86 10 30 12 72641 
86 10 30 12 72645 
86 10 30 18 72641 
86 10 30 18 72645 
85 10 31 0 72641 
06 10 31 0 72645 
86 10 31 6 72641 
86 10 31 6 72645 
86 10 31 12 72641 
86 10 31 12 72615 
06 10 31 18 72641 
86 10 31 18 72645 
86 11 1 0 72641 
86 11 1 0 72645 
86 11 1 6 72641 
86 11 1 6 72645 
06 11 1 12 726.11 
06 11 1 l !  7264!, 
86 11 1 18 72645 
86 11 2 0 72641 
06 11 2 0 72645 
86 11 2 6 72641 
8 6  11 2 6 72645 
8 6  11 2 12 72641 
86 11 2 12 72615 
06 11 2 18 72641 
86 11 2 10 72615 
86 11 3 0 7 2 6 4 5  
06 1 1  3 6 72641 
06 11 3 6 7261 '~  
06 1 1  3 12 77641 
8 G  11 3 12 72645 
0 6  11 3 111 72641 
06  11 3 10 72645 
O G  11 1 i n  72641 
66 11 3 0 7'641 
66 11 4 0 72641 
86 11 4 0 72645 
ww 
10 
.. 
4 4  
4 4  
4 4  
10 
4 4  
4. 
4 4  
61 
1 0  
2 
61 
61 
61 
4 4  
4 4  
4 4  
4 4  
4 4  
51  
60 
51  
51 
10 
10 
42 
10 
10 
5 
4 4  
4 4  
.4 
4 4  
.4 
4. 
10 
4 4  
t t  
t. 
.4 
.* .. .. 
I .  
4. 
t. .. 
*. 
* 4  
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1. 
. 4  .. .. 
*. .. .. .. .. 
4 4  
*. .. 
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N 
8 
8 
7 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
6 
8 
8 
e 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
1 
7 
1 
2 
3 
2 
0 
0 
1 
0 
8 
8 
8 
6 
2 
4 
8 
8 
8 
3 
0 
0 
0 
4 
0 
7 
1 
7 
2 
3 
8 
6 
2 
7 
8 
8 
8 
8 
NII CL QI CH 
8 5 4 4  
8 6 . .  
6 5 7 0  
8 6 . 4  
8 5 . .  
8 6 4 4  
2 5 0 7  
8 6 . 9  
8 5 ' .  
8 7 . .  
8 5 * 4  
5 6 7 .  
6 5 0 0  
8 5 4 4  
8 5 4 4  
8 7 1 .  
8 5 7 4  
8 7 4 4  
8 5 . 4  
8 1 4 .  
8 7 4 4  
8 7 . .  
8 7 . 4  
8 7 4 .  
8 6 . .  
8 6 * *  
8 6 . .  
1 5 0 0  
7 5 0 0  
1 1 0 0  
2 1 0 0  
0 0 0 1  
0 0 0 1  
. 4 . .  
4 4 . 4  
0 0 0 1  
0 0 0 7  
0 0 0 7  
0 0 0 7  
0 0 0 8  
0 0 0 8  
1 0 7 8  
8 5 ' * *  
8 5 ' 4  
8 5 . .  
3 5 0 0  
. . . a  
4 4 . .  
4 . 1 .  
4 . 4 .  
4 0 3 0  
7 5 0 0  
1 1 0 1  
7 5 0 0  
0 0 0 1  
0 0 0 7  
0 0 0 6  
0 0 0 8  
3 0 7 8  
3 5 0 7  
3 5 7 7  
0 5 . .  
0 5 4 .  
6 1 8 8 7 "  
61 0 8 7 
2 0 8 6 "  
1 0 0 5 . "  
* '  8 1 5 I, 
* *  3 2 1 0  1 
* a 7 5 0 7 7  
. * 8 8 0 1 9  
" 3 0 0 0 2  
9 . 2  0 0 0 7 
* . 2 O O O 5  
. . O . . . .  
* ' l o o 0 2  
. * O . . . .  
* *  6 0 0 0 6 
4 . 7 0 0 0 0  
* *  0 0 0 0 I .. 8 0 0 0 7 .. 0 8 5 . .  
- = a 1 0 5 7  
* * 8 6 0 3 2  
. * e  8 5 4 * 
4 4 3 8 5 . .  
. 4 . .  
3 5 0 0  
* * n 0 0 7 -  
Table 2. A n a l y s i s  of cloud observa t ions  f o r  c i r r u s  a t  Madison and Green Bay, 
13  October - 3 November 1986. Symbols are def ined  i n  Table 4. 
W I S O N  .................... 
cn-o 
YREpsDYHRZ N CH A N/O 
86101306 8 .  
86101312 8 .  
86101318 8 '  
86101400 8 .  
86101406 8 .  
86101412 8 .  
86101418 8 .  
86101500 7 8  
86101506 1 Y 
86101512 0 
86101518 1 Y 
86101600 0 
86101606 8 7  
86101612 8 .  
86101618 1 Y 
86101700 8 '  
86101706 8 .  
86101712 8 .  
86101718 6 Y 
86101800 2 Y 
86101806 0 
86101812 6 Y 
86101818 4 Y 
86101900 0 
86101906 0 
86101912 0 
86101918 0 
86102000 0 
86102006 0 
86102012 6 Y 
86102018 0 
86102100 3 1  
86102106 0 
861021 12 1 Y 
86102118 0 
86102200 0 
86102206 0 
86102212 6 6 A  
86102218 t 
86102300 8 .  
86102306 8 .  
86102312 8 .  
86102318 8 .  
86102400 8 .  
-------- .................... 
0 
0 
3 Y 
3 1  
3 Y 
0 
0 
0 
5 .  
0 
6 1 A  
8 7  
8 .  
8 "  
8 
8 
8 .  
m D Y H R Z  
86102406 
86102412 
86102418 
86102500 
86102506 
8 6 102 5 12  
86102518 
86102600 
86102606 
86102612 
86102618 
86102700 
86102706 
86102712 
86102718 
86102800 
86102806 
86102812 
86102818 
86102900 
86102906 
86102912 
86102918 
86103000 
86103006 
86103012 
861030 18 
86103100 
86103106 
86103112 
86103118 
86110100 
86110106 
86110112 
86110118 
86110200 
86110206 
86110212 
86110218 
8 61 10300 
861103 12 
86110318 
86110400 
-------- 
06 i i0306  
1 Y 
3 1 A  
0 
1 1 A  
8 7 A  
8 7 A  
2 8 A  
8 .  
8 *  
0 
0 
0 
1 1  
2 1 A  
8 7 A  
2 E A  
8 7  
8 .  
8 .  
8 .  
8 .  
1 1  
2 S A  
1 2 A  
6 6 A  
8 .  
8 7 A  
8 7  
8 .  
3 2 m  
Table 3. Summary of c i r r u s  r e p o r t s  f o r  Madison and Green Bay, 13  October- 
3 November 1986. Symbols are defined i n  Table 4. 
Number of reports 
, Tota l  
N = O  
ai=* 
Cir rus  p re sen t  
C i r rus  a lone  
C i r rus  absen t ,  o t h e r  c louds present 
Madison 
87 
18 
37 
21  
14 
11 
Green Bay 
88 
17 
36 
19 
8 
16 
21 
2 .  San Nicolas I s l a n d  s t ra tocumulus experiment 
long-term monitor ing s tudy  by remote-sensing instruments  l oca t ed  on 
San Nico la s . I s l and  (SNI), which w a s  begun dur ing  t h e  i n t e n s i v e  f i e l d  
program but%ontinuing a f t e r  it. 
e x t e n t  to which t h e  i s l a n d  could in f luence  t h e  cloud p a t t e r n s  d i r e c t l y  
above, w i th  t h e  p o s s i b i l i t y  t h a t  t h e  measurements might n o t  be repre-  
s e n t a t i v e  of t h e  surrounding ocean. 
W e  acqui red  s h i p  observa t ions  f o r  t h e  area from t h e  C a l i f o r n i a  c o a s t  
t o  the  open ocean beyond SNI and analyzed them. W e  a l s o  obta ined  t h e  
weather obse rva t ions  from t h e  s t a t i o n  a t  t h e  a i r p o r t  on t h e  i s l and .  This 
s t a t i o n  s topped making r o u t i n e  r e p o r t s  i n  1986. Unfortunately,  t h e  i s l a n d  
obse rva t ions  w e r e  made only i n  t h e  Airways Code, whereas t h e  s h i p  r e p o r t s  
w e r e  made only i n  t h e  Synopt ic  Code. This  precluded a comparison of t h e  
i s l a n d  s t a t i o n  wi th  t h e  s h i p s  f o r  cloud types ,  bu t  a comparison of t o t a l  
cloud cover  w a s  poss ib l e .  
o f  t h e  remote-sensing ins t ruments ,  on the  windward (northwest)  t i p  of t h e  
i s l a n d ,  exper iences  cloud condi t ions  very s i m i l a r  to t h e  ocean upwind 
and q u i t e  d i f f e r e n t  from t h e  a i r p o r t  (S. Cox, personal  communication). 
Ship obse rva t ions  show a s t r o n g  inc rease  i n  annual  average cloud 
cover from land  t o  ocean. The g rad ien t  is l a r g e s t  a long t h e  c o a s t  b u t  
is s t i l l  ev iden t  o u t  t o  13OOW (as much as 1000 km o f f  shore) .  SNI is 
approximately 100 km from the  sho re  and t h e  g r a d i e n t s  i n  t h i s  r eg ion  can 
be  l o c a l l y  q u i t e  l a r g e .  Figure 1 shows an  a n a l y s i s  of  on ly  a r e s t r i c t e d  
set of these  observa t ions :  t h e  cloud r e p o r t s  from s h i p s  and land  s t a t i o n s  
made dur ing  t h e  t i m e  of t h e  i n t e n s i v e  f i e l d  s tudy.  
Our proposed c o n t r i b u t i o n  t o  t h i s  emerlment wi#s i n  suppor t  of t h e  
Our proposed work w a s  t o  e v a l u a t e  t h e  
This  p a r t i c u l a r  a n a l y s i s  i u r n e d  ou t  no t  t o  be  u s e f u l  because t h e  s i t e  
Acknowledgement. This  research  w a s  funded by NASA g r a n t  2206-CL-229. 
References 
Warren, S.G., C . J .  Hahn, J. London, R.M. Chervin and R.L. Jenne, 1986: 
Global D i s t r i b u t i o n  of Tota l  Cloud Cover and Cloud Type Amounts 
Over Land. NCAR Technical Note TN-273+STR, 29 pp + 200 maps. 
Warren, S.G., C . J .  Hahn, J. London, R.M. Chervin and R.L. Jenne, 1988: 
Global D i s t r i b u t i o n  of Tota l  Cloud Cover and Cloud Type Amounts 
over  t he  Ocean. NCAR Technical Note i n  prepara t ion .  
Warren, S.G., C . J .  Hahn and J. London, 1985: Simultaneous occurrence of 
d i f f e r e n t  cloud types.  J.  C l i m .  A p p l .  Meteor., 24, 658-667. 
Table 4.  Symbols used i n  t h e  t a b l e s  
A c i r r u s  present alone N t o t a l  cloud cover  code 
' C l i  high cloud type code NH low o r  middle cloud amount code 
CL low cloud t y p e  code STA s t a t i o n  i d e n t i f i c a t i o n  code 
CM middle cloud type code WLON w e s t  longi tude  
DY day CJW present  weather code 
HRZ hour GMT 
LAT l a t i t u d e  
Y c i r r u s  absent  bu t  o t h e r  c louds present  
YK ycar  
MN month * not  repor ted  
22 
.-_ 
Figure la .  Average t o t a l  cloud cover fo r  FIRE study area. 29 June - 20 Ju ly  
1987. Bold face  numbers in center  of boxes are t o t a l  cloud cover, numbers 
i n  smeller type a r e  nmber  o f  observations. 
or 3.~3' g r id  boxes. 
dominating from boxes with sh ip  data  p r e d d n a t i n g .  
lbe analysis  was done for l o x l o  
The heavy l i n e  separates boxes with land-data pre- 
Ftgurc 11,. hvcrrgc nmotrirt of str;iLoctmulus for FIRE study ore::, 29 Jtitic - 
20 311ly 1'1R7. 
23 


Cloud information for FIRE from surface weather reports

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