Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommends that the most recent 30-year period, i.e., 1991–2020, be used to compute the climate normals of geophysical variables. A unique aspect of this recent 30-year period is that the satellite-based observations of many different essential climate var...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/23/5598 |
| _version_ | 1797399651424403456 |
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| author | Abhay Devasthale Karl-Göran Karlsson Sandra Andersson Erik Engström |
| author_facet | Abhay Devasthale Karl-Göran Karlsson Sandra Andersson Erik Engström |
| author_sort | Abhay Devasthale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommends that the most recent 30-year period, i.e., 1991–2020, be used to compute the climate normals of geophysical variables. A unique aspect of this recent 30-year period is that the satellite-based observations of many different essential climate variables are available during this period, thus opening up new possibilities to provide a robust, global basis for the 30-year reference period in order to allow climate-monitoring and climate change studies. Here, using the satellite-based climate data record of cloud and radiation properties, CLARA-A3, for the month of January between 1981 and 2020, we illustrate the difference between the climate normal, as defined by guidelines from WMO on calculations of 30 yr climate normals, and climatology. It is shown that this difference is strongly dependent on the climate variable in question. We discuss the impacts of the nature and availability of satellite observations, variable definition, retrieval algorithm and programmatic configuration. It is shown that the satellite-based climate data records show enormous promise in providing a climate normal for the recent 30-year period (1991–2020) globally. We finally argue that the holistic perspectives from the global satellite community should be increasingly considered while formulating the future WMO guidelines on computing climate normals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:43:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-961a03aaf05046e58477d7d9601832a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:43:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-961a03aaf05046e58477d7d9601832a42023-12-08T15:25:11ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922023-12-011523559810.3390/rs15235598Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data RecordAbhay Devasthale0Karl-Göran Karlsson1Sandra Andersson2Erik Engström3Meteorological Research Unit, Research and Development, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Folkborgvägen 17, 60176 Norrköping, SwedenMeteorological Research Unit, Research and Development, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Folkborgvägen 17, 60176 Norrköping, SwedenCommunity Planning Service, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Folkborgvägen 17, 60176 Norrköping, SwedenCommunity Planning Service, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Folkborgvägen 17, 60176 Norrköping, SwedenThe World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommends that the most recent 30-year period, i.e., 1991–2020, be used to compute the climate normals of geophysical variables. A unique aspect of this recent 30-year period is that the satellite-based observations of many different essential climate variables are available during this period, thus opening up new possibilities to provide a robust, global basis for the 30-year reference period in order to allow climate-monitoring and climate change studies. Here, using the satellite-based climate data record of cloud and radiation properties, CLARA-A3, for the month of January between 1981 and 2020, we illustrate the difference between the climate normal, as defined by guidelines from WMO on calculations of 30 yr climate normals, and climatology. It is shown that this difference is strongly dependent on the climate variable in question. We discuss the impacts of the nature and availability of satellite observations, variable definition, retrieval algorithm and programmatic configuration. It is shown that the satellite-based climate data records show enormous promise in providing a climate normal for the recent 30-year period (1991–2020) globally. We finally argue that the holistic perspectives from the global satellite community should be increasingly considered while formulating the future WMO guidelines on computing climate normals.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/23/5598climate normalclimatologysatellite remote sensingclouds and radiationclimate changeclimate data records |
| spellingShingle | Abhay Devasthale Karl-Göran Karlsson Sandra Andersson Erik Engström Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record Remote Sensing climate normal climatology satellite remote sensing clouds and radiation climate change climate data records |
| title | Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record |
| title_full | Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record |
| title_fullStr | Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record |
| title_full_unstemmed | Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record |
| title_short | Difference between WMO Climate Normal and Climatology: Insights from a Satellite-Based Global Cloud and Radiation Climate Data Record |
| title_sort | difference between wmo climate normal and climatology insights from a satellite based global cloud and radiation climate data record |
| topic | climate normal climatology satellite remote sensing clouds and radiation climate change climate data records |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/15/23/5598 |
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