The NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services (NESDIS) Extended Clouds from AVHRR (CLAVR-x) is a processing system used to detect clouds at the pixel level in the AVHRR data and to derive needed cloud properties. CLAVR-x was written to meet the constraints of real-time processing with a minimal of ancillary data needed for real-time applications and generates global cloud products requested by NOAA's customers.

CLAVR-x is designed for multiple AVHRR applications and provides clear and cloudy pixels and cloud properties with enough quality control to allow for accurate estimation of both clear and cloudy environmental data records. Part of the NOAA/NESDIS mandated for the CLAVR-x implementation is to work globally for all AVHRR orbital configurations and to be extended to future NPOESS Visible Infrared Imager / Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) of instruments.

This poster will address two topics: (1) the operational implementation of the CLAVR-x system in the NOAA Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution (OSDPD), NESDIS facilities in Silver Springs, MD, USA, using the current AVHRR series and (2) the many operational aspects to be considered in the CLAVR-x transition to the new NPOESS VIIRS instrument.