temperature statistics show agreement with MISR stereoscopic cloud-top height distributions, which assist in the selection of scenes uncorrupted by upper-level clouds. In such scenes, retrievals of SST and cloud-top temperature can be combined with various boundary layer structure models to estimate the degree of decoupling and its relationship to cloud amount and optical depth. The contributions of decoupling, sea surface temperature, and horizontal advection to variations in low-level cloud amount and optical depth are investigated in order to determine the relative importance of changes in internal boundary-layer structure and external boundary layer forcing on cloud properties. The applicability to studies of variability under climate change, Lagrangian cloud development studies, and the diurnal cycle using multiple satellite overpasses is discussed.