CM SAF ClOud Fractional Cover dataset from METeosat First and Second Generation - Edition 1 (COMET Ed. 1)

This Thematic Climate Data Record (TCDR) provides cloud fractional cover (CFC) derived from the Meteosat Visible and InfraRed Imager (MVIRI) on board the Meteosat First Generation (MFG) and the Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) onboard the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites. The covered time period ranges from January 1991 to December 2015, thus includes MFG 4 to 7 and MSG 1 to 3. Original thermal radiances were inter-calibrated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) using the High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) as a reference. The Meteosat CFC is presented as hourly, daily and monthly composites on a 0.05°x0.05° grid covering the entire Meteosat disk (Africa and Europe). The CFC data is derived from two Meteosat heritage channels by use of an advanced Bayesian retrieval algorithm. It employs continuous cloud scores, which are built on a contemporaneous clear sky background inversion. The Meteosat CFC is characterized by comparability to the SYNOP-based long-term CFC observations carried out at WMO ground stations. The Meteosat CFC is therefore useful to supplement the ground-based CFC estimates in areas with low station density or high spatio-temporal CFC variability. Along with the data, a comprehensive documentation including user guide, algorithm descriptions and extensive validation studies, is given.