Laboratory for
Climatology and Remote Sensing

Abstract:

The distribution of fog and low stratus (FLS) is of importance in nowcasting, aviation forecasting and climate applications. This paper presents satellite-derived FLS maps as a basis for building a European FLS climatology with high spatial and temporal resolution. Averaged maps covering several winter seasons of Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) data are analysed and compared to a cloud climatology based on a 26-year record of ground-based visual cloud observations. The general patterns seen in both products are found to be in good agreement and plausible.