Zonal Average Cloud Analysis

What You're Looking At

Zonal averages show how cloud properties vary with latitude by averaging all measurements around each latitude circle.

Top row: Average cloud properties at each latitude over the entire 34-year period

Bottom row: How these latitude patterns evolved over time (Hovmöller diagrams)

What the patterns show:

• Equatorial peak: High cloud cover and thickness near the equator due to tropical convection
• Mid-latitude variations: Storm tracks and weather systems
• Polar patterns: Different cloud characteristics at high latitudes
• Seasonal bands: The evolution plots show seasonal migration of cloud patterns

Key Finding: The clear latitude-dependent patterns demonstrate that satellites provide consistent global coverage and can track how cloud properties vary systematically with latitude and season.

Data Source: NOAA ISCCP D2 Dataset