Cloud masking for CoastWatch satellite imagery

A cloud mask program is available for masking out all clouds present on CoastWatch satellite imagery products. CoastWatch satellite imagery are operational NOAA polar-satellite 1 km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data that are remapped for designated U.S. coastal regions. Sea surface temperature imagery is one of the current CoastWatch products; however, the product contains cloudy pixels. A cloud mask product is necessary to determine cloud free areas for sea surface temperature identification. The Clouds from AVHRR (CLAVR) cloud detection algorithm is being tested on both day and night AVHRR imagery. An explanation of the cloud masking tests and examples of their application to the analysis of sea surface temperature imagery for the coastal U.S. on a near-real time basis are presented.<
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