MERRA-2 M2TUNPCLD: Monthly Diurnal Cloud Diagnostics on 42 Pressure Levels

1980-present monthly diurnal means of cloud diagnostics from NASA's MERRA-2 atmospheric reanalysis. The collection consists of assimilated data fields, such as updraft areal fraction and cloud liquid/ice mass fractions, averaged for each 3-hour period and stamped at central times like 01:30 UTC. It is produced by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office using the GEOS version 5.12.4 model.

Use Cases

• Analyze cloud fraction for radiation based on assimilated cloud diagnostics fields
• Study the vertical distribution of cloud liquid and ice water based on data across 42 pressure levels
• Model diurnal cycles of cloud properties based on 3-hourly time-stamped monthly means
• Validate climate model cloud microphysics based on NASA's global atmospheric reanalysis data

Strengths

• Data covers the period from 1980 to the present, providing a long-term record
• Includes cloud diagnostics on 42 pressure levels, offering detailed vertical resolution
• Produced by NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, an authoritative source

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Assimilated from the Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS) version 5.12.4

Time Range

1980-present

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 00:27:53.240253; freshness should be verified

Geography

Global, at 0.625 x 0.5 degree resolution