Blended and Reconstructed Oceanic Monthly Cloudiness Estimates

Monthly cloudiness estimates are produced by blending satellite estimates from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) with in situ estimates from the International Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS). The monthly estimates are on a 2.5 degree spatial grid giving total cloud cover in oktas (0-8) for 1983-2008. The spatially complete blended estimate is then used to form reconstruction statistics for a longer time period. Using those statistics, the ICOADS historical cloudiness data is used to form a 5 degree global ocean total cloudiness reconstruction for 1900-2010.