Recent Changes in Cloud-Type Frequency and Inferred Increases in Convection over the United States and the Former USSR

Abstract

Significant changes and a general redistribution in the frequencies of various cloud types have been observed during the past 40–50 years over the midlatitude land areas of the Northern Hemisphere. This is evident for North America and northern Eurasia in the daytime synoptic data of the United States and the former Soviet Union (FUSSR). An abrupt increase prior to the 1960s largely contributed to the upward trend in the frequency of convective clouds over both regions, particularly in the warm season. However, over both regions during the intermediate seasons and during the winter season over the FUSSR, the frequencies of convective clouds still showed gradual increase after the 1960s. The increase in the frequency of convective clouds has been accompanied by increases in the frequency of observation of high-level cloudiness (at elevations above 6 km) and heavy precipitation. Low cloudiness (stratiform types) has decreased over the FUSSR but increased over the contiguous United States. The latter increase was due to an increase in the frequency of stratocumulus clouds, while the frequency of stratus clouds has decreased. Generally, it appears that during the post-World War II period over the FUSSR high cloud-type frequencies increased and low cloudiness decreased with a relatively small change (increase) in total cloud cover, while over the United States cloud cover has increased at both low and high levels. The analyses of cloudiness information from the United States and the FUSSR reveal noticeable differences in definitions and observational practices that affect the estimates of climatology and interpretation of the results presented here in terms of changes of convective activity and its relation to precipitation in these two regions of Eurasia and North America.