Feedbacks involving low-level clouds remain a primary cause of uncertainty in global climate model projections. This issue was addressed by examining changes over the Northeast Pacific observations and models. Decadal fluctuations were identified multiple, independent cloud data sets, cover appeared to be linked both local temperature structure large-scale circulation. observational analysis further indicated that act as positive feedback this region on decadal time scales. The observed...

We examine multidecadal changes in surface downward shortwave (SW) radiation flux, total cloud cover, SW effect, and related parameters over Europe during 1965–2004 using monthly gridded data from the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA), synoptic reports, International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP). One key issue is distinguishing effects of natural variability long‐term anthropogenic aerosol influences on flux. Accordingly, we introduce concept cover radiative effect (CCRE),...

The long-term record of observations from Ocean Weather Station (OWS) November (N), which operated at 30°N, 140°W 1949 to 1974, is analyzed document the relationships among boundary layer cloud structure, sea surface temperatures (SSTs), and atmospheric circulation. During oceanic summer season, June through September, OWS N lay in steady trade wind flow northeast Pacific. Boundary air parcels, pass location N, are typically transition solid stratus or stratocumulus North Pacific cumulus...

Marine stratiform cloudiness (MSC) (stratus, stratocumulus, and fog) is widespread over subtropical oceans west of the continents midlatitude during summer, season when MSC has maximum influence on surface downward radiation most influenced by boundary-layer processes. Long-term datasets sea temperature (SST) from observations 1952 to 1981 are used examine interannual variations in SST. Linear correlations anomalies seasonal amount with SST negative significant eastern oceans, especially...

Synoptic surface cloud observations primarily made by volunteer observing ships are used to construct global climatologies of the frequency occurrence individual low types over ocean for daytime during summer and winter seasons time period 1954–92. This essentially separates previous S. Warren et al. “stratus,” “cumulus,” “cumulonimbus” into their constituent types. The different geographical seasonal distributions indicate that each type within categories is associated with meteorological...

Abstract Conventional wisdom suggests that subsidence favors the presence of marine stratus and stratocumulus because regions enhanced boundary layer cloudiness are observed to climatologically co-occur with subsidence. Here it is argued climatological positive correlation between not result a direct physical mechanism connecting two. Instead, arises typically associated stronger temperature inversions capping layer, favor greater cloudiness. Through statistical analysis satellite cloud data...

This study examines multidecadal changes in surface downward shortwave (SW) radiation flux, total cloud cover, SW effect, and related parameters over China Japan during 1960–2004 using monthly gridded data from the Global Energy Balance Archive, synoptic reports, International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project. We use concept of cover radiative defined as change flux produced by a to quantify remove impact anomalies on solar flux. will allow effects long‐term anthropogenic aerosol be more...

This paper highlights how the emerging record of satellite observations from Earth Observation System (EOS) and A-Train constellation are advancing our ability to more completely document understand underlying processes associated with variations in Earth's top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation budget. Large-scale TOA changes during past decade observed be within 0.5 Wm−2 per based upon comparisons between Clouds Radiant Energy (CERES) instruments aboard Terra Aqua other instruments. Tropical...

This study examines changes in Earth’s energy budget during and after the global warming “pause” (or “hiatus”) using observations from Clouds Radiant Energy System. We find a marked 0.83 ± 0.41 Wm−2 reduction mean reflected shortwave (SW) top-of-atmosphere (TOA) flux three years following hiatus that results an increase net into climate system. A partial radiative perturbation analysis reveals decreases low cloud cover are primary driver of decrease SW TOA flux. The regional distribution...

Understanding the drivers of surface melting in West Antarctica is crucial for understanding future ice loss and global sea level rise. This study identifies atmospheric melt on Antarctic shelves sheet margins relationships with tropical Pacific high-latitude climate forcing using multidecadal reanalysis satellite datasets. Physical are diagnosed by comparing satellite-observed patterns to anomalies near-surface air temperature, winds, satellite-derived cloud cover, radiative fluxes,...

Abstract The summertime California Current System (CCS) is characterized by energetic mesoscale eddies, whose sea surface temperature (SST) and current can significantly modify the wind stress Ekman pumping. Relative importance of eddy–wind interactions via SST in CCS examined using a high-resolution (7 km) regional coupled model with novel coupling approach to isolate small-scale air–sea current. Results show that when eddy-induced allowed stress, spatially averaged eddy kinetic energy...

Abstract Large uncertainty remains on how subtropical clouds will respond to anthropogenic climate change and therefore whether they act as a positive feedback that amplifies global warming or negative dampens by altering Earth's energy budget. Here we reduce this using an observationally constrained formulation of the response greenhouse forcing. The observed interannual sensitivity cloud solar reflection varying meteorological conditions suggests increasing sea surface temperature...

Abstract Understanding how marine low clouds and their radiative effects respond to changing meteorological conditions is crucial constrain low-cloud feedbacks greenhouse warming internal climate variability. In this study, we use observations quantify the response perturbations over global oceans shed light on physical processes governing planetary radiation budget variability in different regimes. We assess independent effect of sea surface temperature, estimated inversion strength,...

Abstract The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) dataset and the Pathfinder Atmospheres–Extended (PATMOS-x) are two commonly used multidecadal satellite cloud records. Because they constructed from weather measurements lacking long-term stability, ISCCP PATMOS-x suffer artifacts that inhibit their use for investigating changes over recent decades. present study describes applies a post hoc method to empirically remove spurious variability anomalies in total fraction at...

Abstract The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) is characterized by a horseshoe pattern of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies and has wide range climatic impacts. While the tropical arm AMO responsible for many these impacts, it either too weak or completely absent in climate model simulations. Here we show, using both observational evidence, that radiative effect positive low cloud dust feedbacks strong enough to generate AMO, with feedback more dominant. can be understood...

How clouds respond to anthropogenic sulfate aerosols is one of the largest sources uncertainty in radiative forcing climate over industrial era. This limits our ability predict equilibrium sensitivity (ECS)-the global warming following a doubling atmospheric CO2. Here, we use satellite observations quantify relationships between and low-level while carefully controlling for meteorology. We then combine with estimates change concentration since about 1850 constrain associated forcing....

Surface cloud observations and coincident surface meteorological soundings from five ocean weather stations are used to establish representative relationships between low type marine boundary layer (MBL) properties for the subtropics midlatitudes by compositing which same was observed. Physically consistent found exist type, MBL structure, meteorology at substantially different geographical locations seasons. Relative height inferred decoupling subcloud layers increasingly greater...

Several recent studies have reported a substantial correlation between satellite retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and cloud fraction, which is ascribed to an microphysical mechanism. Another possible explanation, however, that the history meteorological forcing controls both AOD fraction. The present study examines latter hypothesis by comparing conditions along parcel back‐trajectories for cases large small Cloud observations are obtained from MODIS instrument aboard Terra,...

[1] Observations from the Global Energy Balance Archive indicate regional decreases in all sky surface solar radiation ∼1950s to 1980s, followed by an increase during 1990s. These periods are popularly called dimming and brightening, respectively. Removal of radiative effects cloud cover variability results a quantity “clear proxy” radiation, which multidecadal trends can be seen more distinctly, suggesting aerosol forcing as likely cause. Prior work has shown climate models Coupled Model...