Arctic cloud cover during the summers of 1977-1979.

Cloud cover in the Arctic Basin has been charted from satellite images. Three classes of cloud thickness at 3 altitudes were mapped and digitized together with sea level pressure. Cloudiness was found to be heterogeneous in space and time. Optically thick clouds had high tops and were associated with low pressure systems and airmasses advected from the south. Clouds of moderate thickness were the most prevalent. Cloud-free skies were most often colocated with high pressure. Cloud-free episodes thoughout the basin persisted long enough to significantly affect the surface radiation budget and the dissipation of snow and ice.-from STAR, 24(11), 1986