The Role of Cloud Diurnal Variations in the Time-Mean Energy Budget

Abstract The contribution to time-mean energetics from cloud diurnal variations is investigated. Cloud diurnal contributions to radiative fluxes follow as the differences between time-mean radiative fluxes based on diurnally varying cloud properties and those based on fixed cloud properties. Time-mean energetics under both conditions are derived from an observationally driven radiative transfer calculation in which cloud cover, temperature, and moisture are prescribed from satellite observations. Cloud diurnal contributions to time-mean energetics arise from the nonlinear dependence of radiative fluxes on diurnally varying properties. Diurnal variations of cloud fractional coverage and solar flux are the main factors of the cloud diurnal contributions to shortwave (SW) flux, although the diurnal variation of cloud type is also important. The cloud diurnal contribution to longwave (LW) flux at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) is produced by diurnal variations of cloud fractional coverage, cloud-top height, ...

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