Application:

CMIC allows to describe cloud microphysics: thermodynamic phase and water droplet/ice crystal size at top of the cloud, Cloud Optical Thickness (COT) and Liquid and Ice Water Path (IWP and LWP).

Advantages:

✓ Available from meteorological geostationary satellites.

✓ Available during day and night (except thermodynamic phase available also at nighttime).

✓ Available at the temporal frequency of the satellites.

✓ For convection the ice thermodynamic phase indicates glaciation of top of cloud, and large COT/IWP indicates thickest part of clouds (heavy rain).

Limitations:

X CMIC not available for low broken clouds.

X Droplet/crystal size, COT and LWP/IWP not retrieved at nighttime and in case mixed/undefined phase or too thin clouds.