Abstract
Abstract Moisture observing capability is surveyed over the tropical northeast Pacific Ocean. Data are taken from late January 1979 during FGGE. Emphasis is on diagnosis of synoptic scale systems in data sparse areas. The capabilities and limitations of five observing systems are examined: surface observations, satellite cloud imagery, radio- and dropsondes, satellite individual channel brightness temperatures, and model analysis from the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts. Both qualitative and quantitative intercomparisons are made. Surface observations carry almost insignificant moisture information over the tropical oceans. The capability of GOES imagery is well known; however, clouds mask important moisture structure and do not always define moisture patterns well, even at cloud level. Soundings were adequate for synoptic diagnosis, ifthere were enough of them; however, FGGE dropsondes were limited in detail. Satellite channel data provide thorough coverage and show some detail even in...
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