A characterization of clouds over the Great Barrier Reef and the role of local forcing

Abstract

A characterization of cloud properties associated with precipitation in the region around the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is constructed using decade-long (2007–2017) satellite observations from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) combined with CloudSat. The spatial and vertical distributions of low-level cloud properties over the region are also investigated and discussed. In general, different cloud types are observed over different regions and vary by season: high clouds are dominant over the low latitudes in summer, altocumulus are mainly observed over northeast Queensland and low-level clouds..