The ultimate goal of the snow sub-service development in the CryoClim project is to develop a novel operational service for multi-sensor Snow Cover Extent (SCE) based on Passive Microwave Radiometer (PMR) and optical data. The project’s approach is to develop progressively more advanced SCE algorithms in a stepwise way. CryoClim Phase 2 has developed a product for global SCE based on DMSP SSM/I data. See example product for the Northern Hemisphere below. The PMR algorithm is actually based on two algorithms, one for dry snow and one for wet snow. They have been tested in a laboratory environment by NR and are now implemented by METNO in the new pre-operational production chain for testing on larger amounts of data. The final algorithm, which will include a Bayesian approach, will be the basis for the operational snow processing chain.

CryoClim Phase 2 product for global (only Northern Hemisphere shown here) snow cover extent based on passive microwave data (snow in white and bare ground in green).