The new Conically-scanning Microwave Imager and Sounder (CMIS) will provide several new satellite observational products and enhance the utility of others when it is launched on the first NPOESS C1 in 2009 . Among the new products will be operational Soil Moisture maps with special applications both for global and regional weather forecast models and for local area Tactical Decision Aids. Combined temperature and moisture profiles in cloudy conditions over complex land backgrounds will receive a special improvement in coverage with reduced uncertainty. CMIS brightness temperatures and EDR's will be combined with those from other NPOESS instruments to provide a better "all-weather " suite of products. These include sea surface temperature and sea ice mapping determinations in persistently cloudy regions. Enhanced precipitation detection will be obtained from the improved temporal coverage of CMIS on the 3 operational NPOESS satellites.

This paper will briefly discuss examples of the new CMIS products as well as their use in climate studies and data assimilation research and operations.