Cloud Variability over the Indian Monsoon Region as Observed from Satellites

Abstract

Abstract This study focuses on documenting the seasonal progression of the Asian monsoon by analyzing clouds and convection in the pre-, peak-, and postmonsoon seasons. This effort was possible as a result of the movement of Meteosat-5 over the Indian continent during the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) starting in 1998. The Meteosat-5 observations provide a unique opportunity to study in detail the daytime diurnal variability of clouds and components of the radiation budget. Hourly Meteosat-5 observations are utilized to characterize the Indian monsoon daytime cloud variability on seasonal and diurnal time scales. Distinct patterns of variability can be identified during the various stages of the monsoon cycle. The daytime (0800–1500 LST) diurnal cycle of total cloud amounts is generally flat during the premonsoon season, U shaped during peak-monsoon season, and ascending toward an afternoon peak in the postmonsoon season. Low clouds dominate the Tibetan Plateau and northern Arabian Sea while high clouds are more frequent in the southern Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. An afternoon peak in high clouds is most prominent in central India and the Bay of Bengal. Afternoon convection peaks earlier over water than land. Preliminary comparison of cloud amounts from Meteosat-5, International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) D1, and model output from the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis indicates a large disparity among cloud amounts from the various sources, primarily during the peak-monsoon period. The availability of the high spatial and temporal resolution of Meteosat-5 data is important for characterizing cloud variability in regions where clouds vary strongly in time and space and for the evaluation of numerical models known to have difficulties in predicting clouds correctly in this monsoon region. This study also has implications for findings on cloud variability from polar-orbiting satellites that might not correctly represent the daily average situation.