Verification of Air Force Weather Cloud Analyses and Forecasts Using the NASA Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC)

The US Air Force generates an hourly World-Wide Merged Cloud Analysis (WWMCA) using timely data from 16 geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites. The WWMCA then feeds a short term Advected Cloud (ADVCLD) model and a longer term Diagnostic Cloud Forecast (DCF) model which provides 3D cloud forecasts out to 5 days. Initial verification efforts of the cloud forecasts using WWMCA as truth showed that the ADVCLD and DCF had a similar appearance and distribution as the WWMCA that acted as input into the models. Additionally, external and independent datasets, including those from Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) sites, were used to verify the WWMCA, ADVCLD, and DCF. These results have been presented previously.

Continuing the quest for additional cloud measurements, data from the NASA Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) have been incorporated into verification and benchmarking activities over the past year. EPIC is a 10-channel spectroradiometer onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft, which is located at the Earth-Sun Lagrange-1 (L1) point and provides images of the sunlit side of Earth. This deep space vantage point is very different from that of traditional GEO and LEO satellites, offering a unique look at clouds. This presentation will focus on using the level 2 cloud mask product from EPIC to verify the performance of the WWMCA, ADVCLD, and DCF.