Abstract
A simple scheme for utilizing satellite Cloud Pattern information to improve the estimation of parameterized stable and convective latent heat release is proposed and tested for an extratropical cyclone occurring over the United States during 9–11 January 1975. Calculations are done over the standard North American rawinsonde data region and over a sparse data region simulated by ignoring one-third of the original rawinsonde stations. Results indicate a 15% and 30% improvement in latent heating estimates derived from the total and sparse datasets, respectively. A larger improvement was found using the sparse dataset because the parameterized latent heat release estimates obtained using these data were poorer than those obtained using the total dataset.
