Recent observations of warming in the arctic include rising surface temperatures, decreasing seasonal and perennial ice and snow cover, and changes in seasonal cloud cover. Sea ice extent has recently dropped below the IPCC4 model consensus and surface temperature anomalies during the 2000-2005 period have in some regions exceeded 3 K. Changes in cloud cover most likely mitigate surface temperature increases, but the overall change in and radiative impact of clouds in the arctic is uncertain.

CloudSat and CALIPSO data allow for the most complete vertical profiling of clouds from space to date. The Cloud Profiling Radar aboard CloudSat can penetrate several layers of hydrometeors, attenuating only in heavy precipitation, while the Lidar aboard CALIPSO is capable of detecting thin clouds such as high cirrus. Together these satellites provide unprecedented data on arctic clouds. Data from both CloudSat and CALIPSO are used to produce a new arctic cloud climatology. In addition, preliminary results regarding the radiative properties of arctic clouds over varying geographic environments are calculated. These early results will contribute to an improved understanding of accelerated climate change in the arctic during the International Polar Year.