NOAA/NESDIS has been generating operational AMSU (and MHS) derived orbital products of hydrological parameters (e.g., rainfall, cloud liquid and water path, snow cover, etc.) for the past decade. In addition, all of these parameters are aggregated to pentad and monthly time scales to form level 3 gridded products that are useful in climate monitoring and also emerging blended satellite products. Since 2002, at least three AMSU sensors have been in operation, thus providing an adequate global diurnal sampling (i.e., every 4 hours) to produce climate quality products. These data sets form the foundation for NOAA satellite derived climate data records (CDR's) that will be extended through the NPOESS mission.

It is the purpose of this paper to describe the performance of the various AMSU climate products through intercomparision with other satellite and in-situ data sets.