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	-
Output	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