Average relative humidity from satellite observations

Abstract

This study describes an attempt to obtain a statistical relationship between the satellite viewed cloudiness and vertica11y integrated average relative humidity ill the lower troposphere over the Indian Seas. For this purpose, the values of average relative humidity for 1000-600 mb layer for the months of April, July and November 1966, were computed for the six radiosonde stations in the Peninsular India with coastal and island locations. Cloud coverage over the small area in the vicinity of these stations were obtained from the Nephanalyses published by U.S.W.B. in the satellite data catalogues and were classified In five categories. A linear relationship was found between the average relative humidity and cloud classification number with a correlation coefficient of 0'71.