A model for the estimation of cloud cover from satellite data

Abstract

In this study, an empirical model for estimating cloud cover from satellite data was developed. The skyviews were installed at 4 stations located in Chiang Mai (18.78°N, 98.98°E), Ubon Ratchathani (15.25°N, 104.87°E), Nakhon Pathom (13.82°N, 100.04°E) and Songkhla (7.20°N, 100.60°E) in order to record the images of the sky. A three - year period (2009-2011) of the cloud cover data derived from the sky images and cloud index derived from MTSAT - 1R satellite data were prepared. Based on these data, a model relating cloud cover to cloud index was formulated. To validate its performance, the model was used to calculate cloud cover at the four stations during a two - year period (2012-2013). It was found that measured and calculated cloud cover were in reasonable agreement, with root mean square differences (RMSD) and mean bias difference (MBD) of 14.9% and -3.4%, respectively.