Cloud Overlap
- Author: D.N. Karger (c) 2019
- Menu: Climate and Weather | Tools
Description
This tool calculates cloud overlay based on the maximum random overlap assumption for atmospheric cloud layers above ground. Alpha is a constant and a further parameter is the minimum cloud fraction, at which a cloud is identified as such. 
Parameters
|  | Name | Type | Identifier | Description | Constraints | 
|---|
| Input | Cloud Fractions | grid list, input | COVERS | grid stack of cloud fractions | - | 
| Heights | grid list, input | HEIGHTS | grid stack of geopotential level heights | - | 
| Surface Elevation | grid, input | GROUND | - | - | 
| Wind effect | grid, input | WIND | - | - | 
| Cloud Base | grid, input | CBASE | - | - | 
| Output | Total Cloud Cover | grid, output | COVER | statistics | - | 
| Number of Cloud Blocks | grid, output, optional | BLOCKS | - | - | 
| Options | Grid System | grid system | PARAMETERS_GRID_SYSTEM | - | - | 
| Interval | floating point number | INTERVAL | Vertical resolution for internal interpolation given in meters. | Minimum: 1.000000
Default: 100.000000 | 
| Minimum Cloud Cover Fraction | floating point number | MINCOVER | Minimum cloud cover fraction at which a cloud is identified as such | Minimum: -1.000000
Maximum: 1.000000
Default: 0.100000 | 
Command Line
Usage: saga_cmd climate_tools 25 [-COVERS ] [-HEIGHTS ] [-GROUND ] [-WIND ] [-CBASE ] [-COVER ] [-BLOCKS ] [-INTERVAL ] [-MINCOVER ]
  -COVERS:     	Cloud Fractions
	grid list, input
  -HEIGHTS:    	Heights
	grid list, input
  -GROUND:     	Surface Elevation
	grid, input
  -WIND:       	Wind effect
	grid, input
  -CBASE:      	Cloud Base
	grid, input
  -COVER:      	Total Cloud Cover
	grid, output
  -BLOCKS:     	Number of Cloud Blocks
	grid, output, optional
  -INTERVAL:	Interval
	floating point number
	Minimum: 1.000000
	Default: 100.000000
  -MINCOVER:	Minimum Cloud Cover Fraction
	floating point number
	Minimum: -1.000000
	Maximum: 1.000000
	Default: 0.100000