CHANGE IN THE SATELLITE CLOUD PRODUCT SOFTWARE

• To: nws-changes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
• Subject: CHANGE IN THE SATELLITE CLOUD PRODUCT SOFTWARE
• From: General Support <support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
• Date: Mon, 7 Mar 1994 08:48:14 -0700

NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION MESSAGE 94-04
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
345 PM EST FRI MAR 4 1994

TO:         ALL NWS FIELD OFFICES, DOMESTIC DATA SERVICE
            SUBSCRIBERS

FROM:       JOHN F. MACHOWSKI
            ACTING CHIEF, SERVICES DEVELOPMENT BRANCH

SUBJECT:    CHANGE IN THE SATELLITE CLOUD PRODUCT SOFTWARE

(INFORMATION FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY
CHUCK KLUEPFEL OF THE SYSTEMS REQUIREMENTS BRANCH OF THE OFFICE
OF METEOROLOGY)

Effective at 1900Z March 2, 1994, the software that is used in
the Satellite-derived Cloud Product (SCP) to derive total cloud
cover estimates above 12,000 feet MSL was changed.  The new
software corrects some annoying bugs in the old program which
resulted in occasional, erroneous cloud top reports of "zero" at
some northern-tier stations--usually ACY and Y62.  The new
software also contains an algorithm change with respect to the
"removal" of clouds below 12,000 feet MSL.  While the output will
appear very similar to before, the technical experts at the
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies,
located at the University of Wisconsin--Madison, believe that the
new algorithm will lead to improved estimates of cloud cover
above 12,000 feet.  A new cloud cover category will be added to
the traditional CLR, SCT, BKN, and OVC categories.  This new
category, abbreviated in the message as MCLR, stands for "mostly
clear."  MCLR indicates the possible presence of an uncertain
amount of very thin, relatively transparent clouds.  

More technical details will be contained in Technical Procedures
Bulletin 410, which is expected to go to press within the next
month.

The SCP reports have been disseminated as regional collectives
since June 1993.  The AFOS PILs and WMO headers are listed below:

AFOS PIL       WMO Header          NWS Region

cccSCPER1      TBUS20 KWBC         Eastern
cccSCPCR1      TBUS21 KWBC         Central
cccSCPSR1      TBUS22 KWBC         Southern
cccSCPWR1      TBUS23 KWBC         Western

END