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Lastly, there is a latitudinal variation in the cloud cover, such that around 20°N there are regions with 10% lower cloudiness than the global mean. Similar variation (15%) is found at 20°S. This is because of the absence of equatorial effects and strong winds reducing cloud formation. On the other
991:
Stubenrauch, C. J.; Rossow, W. B.; Kinne, S.; Ackerman, S.; Cesana, G.; Chepfer, H; Di
Girolamo, L.; Getzewich, B.; Guignard, A.; Heidinger, A.; Maddux, B. C.; Menzel, W.P; Minnis, P.; Pearl, C.; Platnick, S.; Poulsen, C.; Reidi, J.; Sun-Mack, S; Walther, A.; Winker, D.; Zeng, S.; Zhao, G. (2013).
242:
Although clouds can exist within a wide range of altitudes, typical cloud cover has a base at approximately 4,000m and extends up to an altitude of about 5,000m. Clouds height can vary depending on latitude; with cloud cover in polar latitudes being slightly lower and in tropical regions the cloud
171:
Cloud cover values only vary by 3% from year to year averages, whereas the local, day to day variability in cloud amount typically rises to 30% over the globe. Most data sets agree on the fact that the land is covered by 10-15% less cloud than the oceans. This is due to the seas being covered with
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hand, in the storm regions of the
Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes were found to have with 15–25% more cloudiness than the global mean at 60°S. On average, about 67% of the entire Earth is cloud-covered at any moment.
946:
Brun, P., Zimmermann, N.E., Hari, C., Pellissier, L., Karger, D.N. (preprint): Global climate-related predictors at kilometre resolution for the past and future. Earth Syst. Sci. Data
Discuss.
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are counted). Average cloud cover is around 72% over the oceans, with low seasonal variation, and about 55% above land, with significant seasonal variation.
1101:
142:. Cloud cover thus plays an important role in the energetic balance of the atmosphere and a variation of it is a factor and consequence of and to the
77:
as the least cloudy locales are the sunniest ones while the cloudiest areas are the least sunny places, as clouds can block sunlight, especially at
39:
1234:
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On a regional scale, some exceptionally humid areas of Earth experience cloudy conditions virtually all time such as South
America's
183:
On a continental scale, it can be noticed based upon a long-term satellite recording of cloudiness data that on a year-mean basis,
138:, they efficiently reflect light to space and thus contribute to the cooling of the planet, as well as trapping remaining heat at
1102:
IPCC Third
Assessment Report Chapter 7. Physical Climate Processes and Feedbacks (Atmospheric Processes and Feedbacks 7.2)
821:
878:
826:
920:
808:
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The average cloud cover of the Earth, 2005-2013. Colors range from blue (no clouds) to white (totally cloudy). (
994:"Assessment of global cloud datasets from satellites: Project and Database initiated by GEWEX Radiation Panel"
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The global cloud cover averages around 67-68%, though it ranges from 56% to 73% depending on the minimum
1148:
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1044:"Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Clouds Observed by MODIS Onboard the Terra and Aqua Satellites"
873:
230:
while some highly arid areas experience clear-sky conditions virtually all the time such as Africa's
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King, Michael D.; Platnick, Steven; Menzel, W. Paul; Ackerman, Steven A.; Hubanks, Paul A. (2013).
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considered (lower when optical depth is large, and higher when it is low, such that subvisible
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Total cloud cover fraction averaged over the years 1981-2010 from the CHELSA-BIOCLIM+ data set
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is the usual unit for measurement of the cloud cover. The cloud cover is correlated to the
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Fraction of the sky obscured by clouds when observed from a particular location
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1054:(7). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE): 3826–3852.
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1137:. Webmaster Paul Przyborski; NASA Official Robert Levy. 2018-10-31.
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1224:, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Met. O. 842, A.P. 897, 319 p.
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1104:(Report). International Panel on Climate Change. Archived from
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are dominated by clear skies due to their continentality and
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International
Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP)
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It has extensive coverage of cloud-climate interactions
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NASA's data products on their satellite observations
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on average when observed from a particular location.
1048:IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing
237:
92:Partial cloud cover over the North Atlantic Ocean.
1251:, Monthly maps of global cloud cover from NASA's
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42:(MODIS) on July 11, 2005, of Earth's cloud cover.
1274:
1001:Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
1241:, From the National Science Digital Library's
979:
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118:
40:Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
123:Clouds play multiple critical roles in the
959:Huschke, Ralph E. (1970) . "Cloud cover".
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199:are dominated by cloudy skies due to the
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26:
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948:https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-212
207:or other effects. On the other hand,
1243:Atmospheric Visualization Collection
1202:"Met Office introduction to clouds"
243:cover may extend up to 8,000m. The
85:where sunlight is already limited.
34:based largely on observations from
13:
14:
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251:sitting at 300–1,500m while high
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61:) refers to the fraction of the
967:American Meteorological Society
238:Altitude of typical cloud cover
1267:NASA composite satellite image
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1:
1239:Glossary of Atmospheric Terms
933:
100:Complete cloud coverage over
146:expected by recent studies.
7:
818:Severe weather terminology
280:Temperate and polar seasons
247:is also a factor, with low
10:
1304:
119:Role in the climate system
1249:Earthobersvatory.nasa.gov
1069:10.1109/tgrs.2012.2227333
1021:10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00117.1
172:water, meaning much more
965:(2nd ed.). Boston:
1222:Meteorological Glossary
1220:McIntosh, D. H. (1972)
962:Glossary of Meteorology
1167:NASA Earth Observatory
1147:: CS1 maint: others (
1135:NASA Earth Observatory
879:Tropical cyclone terms
168:
104:
93:
43:
24:
486:Extratropical cyclone
410:Air-mass thunderstorm
165:click for more detail
162:
99:
91:
30:
22:
1288:Atmospheric dynamics
846:Weather modification
444:Anticyclonic tornado
1060:2013ITGRS..51.3826K
1013:2013BAMS...94.1031S
841:Weather forecasting
677:Rain and snow mixed
503:Subtropical cyclone
897:Weather portal
513:Atlantic hurricane
491:European windstorm
398:Volcanic lightning
359:Cumulonimbus cloud
169:
105:
94:
44:
25:
1253:Earth Observatory
1108:on August 5, 2013
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255:at 5,500-6,500m.
228:Amazon Rainforest
160:
75:sunshine duration
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1007:(7): 1031–1049.
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1171:. Retrieved
1169:. 2020-07-07
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1110:. Retrieved
1106:the original
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970:. Retrieved
961:
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650:Diamond dust
574:Winter storm
405:Thunderstorm
241:
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106:
65:obscured by
59:cloud amount
58:
54:
50:
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864:Meteorology
799:Meteorology
687:Snow roller
682:Snow grains
645:Ice pellets
594:Snow squall
525:Storm surge
471:Anticyclone
427:Mesocyclone
415:Thundersnow
364:Arcus cloud
213:Middle East
174:evaporation
150:Variability
47:Cloud cover
1277:Categories
1173:2022-01-29
1112:August 24,
972:2013-08-24
934:References
858:Glossaries
794:Jet stream
733:Convection
719:Atmosphere
667:Cloudburst
530:Dust storm
496:Nor'easter
466:Fire whirl
461:Dust devil
454:Waterspout
381:Heat burst
376:Microburst
334:Wet season
322:Dry season
201:westerlies
51:cloudiness
1088:0196-2892
789:Heat wave
784:Cold wave
728:Chemistry
579:Ice storm
569:Firestorm
481:Polar low
449:Landspout
432:Supercell
393:Lightning
371:Downburst
327:Harmattan
261:Part of
217:Australia
1143:cite web
1029:12145499
660:Freezing
621:Freezing
584:Blizzard
263:a series
136:spectrum
55:cloudage
1211:. 2012.
1056:Bibcode
1009:Bibcode
814:Extreme
760:Physics
750:Climate
738:Physics
628:Graupel
616:Drizzle
564:Sirocco
547:Monsoon
518:Typhoon
476:Cyclone
439:Tornado
386:Derecho
271:Weather
221:aridity
205:monsoon
79:sunrise
1283:Clouds
1086:
1027:
822:Canada
777:Season
707:Topics
552:Amihan
540:Haboob
535:Simoom
347:Storms
302:Autumn
297:Summer
292:Spring
287:Winter
211:, the
209:Africa
185:Europe
102:France
83:sunset
67:clouds
1205:(PDF)
1025:S2CID
997:(PDF)
827:Japan
755:Cloud
743:River
692:Slush
354:Cloud
140:night
133:solar
57:, or
1149:link
1114:2013
1084:ISSN
809:List
772:Mist
672:Snow
655:Rain
633:Hail
559:Gale
215:and
197:Asia
195:and
127:and
81:and
71:Okta
36:NASA
1074:hdl
1064:doi
1017:doi
767:Fog
63:sky
38:'s
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