Spatial Distribution and Seasonal Variation of Cloud over China Based on ISCCP Data and Surface Observations

Abstract

Based on the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) data, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) surface synoptic observations, spatial distributions and seasonal variations of total cloudiness and fractional cloud amount of high, middle and low clouds over China are examined. It is found that low clouds mainly appear along the southeast coast of China, middle clouds dominate southern China and high clouds mainly occur over northern China. Seasonal variations of convective clouds over northern China, southern China and the Tibetan Plateau are similar, reaching a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter; whereas the seasonal variation of stratiform clouds displays large spatial variation, with opposite phase in northern and southern China.