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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

SPLASH Field Study; NOAA and CIRES Ceilometer Cloud Data Products at Kettle Ponds, Colorado, 2021-10-19 to 2023-08-15 (NCEI Accession 0301002)

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From fall 2021 through summer 2023, NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML) and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) conducted a field study (SPLASH - the Study of Precipitation, the Lower Atmosphere and Surface for Hydrometeorology). This field study established a state-of-the-art observing network in the East River watershed of the Colorado mountains with a goal of advancing weather and water prediction capabilities in areas with complex terrain. The ultimate goal of this project is improved prediction of weather and water in the Colorado mountains and beyond to inform societal preparedness and response.

The NOAA GML Radiation, Aerosols, and Cloud Division (G-RAD) and CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder, operated Vaisala CL51 ceilometers at the Kettle Ponds (CKP) and Brush Creek (CBC) observatory field sites during the SPLASH experiment. The cloud product files were produced in order to condense the wealth of level 0 data streams and instrument health checks in order to focus on the primary data observations/products these ceilometers produce; namely attenuated backscatter coefficient profiles (aerosol and cloud hydrometeor backscatter) cloud detection status, and cloud base height above ground level. Note, Vaisala’s BL View retrieved boundary layer height estimates are not included in these files but will be archived as separate data product/data files.

The files were produced daily at each location. The CL51 ceilometers were deployed in early- to mid-October 2021, with data collection occurring from 2021-10-19 through 2023-08-15 at the Kettle Ponds site. A separate archive is available for the data collected at the Brush Creek location.
  • Cite as: Ballard, Brad; Telg, Hagen; Sedlar, Joseph; Herrera, Christian; Stierle, Scott; NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (2025). SPLASH Field Study; NOAA and CIRES Ceilometer Cloud Data Products at Kettle Ponds, Colorado, 2021-10-19 to 2023-08-15 (NCEI Accession 0301002). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/5ajc-sm08. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0301002
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2021-10-19 to 2023-08-15
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: 106.973099
East: 106.973099
South: 38.9417
North: 38.9417
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Telg, H., Sedlar, J., Herrera, C., & STIERLE, S. C. O. T. T. (2024). NOAA GML and CIRES/Uni. of Colorado-Boulder Ceilometer Cloud Data Products at Kettle Ponds (CKP) for SPLASH (Version 1.3.2) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10520197
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2025-02-03
  • creation: 2025-01-22
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose From fall 2021 through summer 2023, NOAA and research partners participated in the Study of Precipitation, the Lower Atmosphere and Surface for Hydrometeorology (SPLASH). This field study installed a comprehensive, state-of-the-art observing network in the East River watershed of the Colorado mountains with a goal of advancing weather and water prediction capabilities in areas with complex terrain. Benefits: In combination with scientific analysis of the resulting datasets, research will apply SPLASH observations and the resulting enhanced process-understanding to evaluate and improve NOAA's latest suite of modeling tools, including the Unified Forecast System, Rapid Refresh Forecast System, and National Water Model. The ultimate goal of this project will be improved prediction of weather and water in the Colorado mountains and beyond to inform societal preparedness and response.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Ballard, Brad; Telg, Hagen; Sedlar, Joseph; Herrera, Christian; Stierle, Scott; NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (2025). SPLASH Field Study; NOAA and CIRES Ceilometer Cloud Data Products at Kettle Ponds, Colorado, 2021-10-19 to 2023-08-15 (NCEI Accession 0301002). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/5ajc-sm08. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Collaborators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Funding Agency: NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML)
  • Funding Agency: Black Swift Technologies
  • Funding Agency: Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
  • Funding Agency: Cooperative Institute for Research in Atmospheric Science
  • Funding Agency: US Department of Energy
  • Funding Agency: Colorado State University
  • Funding Agency: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  • Funding Agency: National Center for Atmospheric Research
  • Funding Agency: NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory
  • Funding Agency: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
  • Funding Agency: University of Colorado Boulder, Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • climatology
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Provider Keywords
  • byte cloud_layer(cloud_layer)
  • float backscatter_profile(time, range)
  • float cloud_status(time)
  • int range(range)
  • int64 time(time)
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords Provider Instruments
  • Vaisala CL51 ceilometer
Place keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords Provider Project Names
  • SPLASH - Study of Precipitation, the Lower Atmosphere, and Surface for Hydrometeorology
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Keywords Send2NCEI Submission Package ID
  • 0NLEAM
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Ballard, Brad; Telg, Hagen; Sedlar, Joseph; Herrera, Christian; Stierle, Scott; NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory (2025). SPLASH Field Study; NOAA and CIRES Ceilometer Cloud Data Products at Kettle Ponds, Colorado, 2021-10-19 to 2023-08-15 (NCEI Accession 0301002). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/5ajc-sm08. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2025-02-03T19:12:47Z - NCEI Accession 0301002 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: int64 time(time) (measured); Units: seconds; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Vaisala CL51 ceilometer; Sampling and Analyzing Method: time:units = "seconds since 1900-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" ; time:calendar = "proleptic_gregorian"
  • Parameter or Variable: int range(range) (measured); Units: meter; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Vaisala CL51 ceilometer; Sampling and Analyzing Method: range:long_name = "Distance from ground" ; range:units = "m" ; range:standard_name = "distance" ; range:axis = "Z" ; range:positive = "up"
  • Parameter or Variable: byte cloud_layer(cloud_layer) (measured); Units: 1; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Vaisala CL51 ceilometer; Sampling and Analyzing Method: cloud_layer:long_name = "Cloud layer index" ; cloud_layer:units = "1" ; cloud_layer:axis = "Z" ; cloud_layer:positive = "up"
  • Parameter or Variable: float backscatter_profile(time, range) (measured); Units: 10e-9 m^-1 sr^-1; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Vaisala CL51 ceilometer; Sampling and Analyzing Method: backscatter_profile:_FillValue = NaNf ; backscatter_profile:long_name = "2-D ceilometer signal backscatter profile." ; backscatter_profile:units = "10e-9 m^-1 sr^-1" ; backscatter_profile:comments = "Range-corrected-scattering"
  • Parameter or Variable: float cloud_status(time) (measured); Units: 1; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Vaisala CL51 ceilometer; Sampling and Analyzing Method: cloud_status:_FillValue = NaNf ; cloud_status:long_name = "Cloud detection status." ; cloud_status:units = "1" ; cloud_status:flag_values = "0,1,2,3,4" ; cloud_status:flag_0 = "No significant backscatter." ; cloud_status:flag_1 = "One cloud layer detected." ; cloud_status:flag_2 = "Two cloud layers detected." ; cloud_status:flag_3 = "Three cloud layers detected." ; cloud_status:flag_4 = "Full obscuration/vertical visibility mode. First cloud_base will report vertical visibility and second cloud_base will report highest signal" ; cloud_status:comments = "When cloud_status=4 there is an optically thick cloud that obscures the signal. Therefore it is not possible to discern additional cloud layers above it so the vertical visibility and highest signal are reported instead."
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • ceilometer
Last Modified: 2026-04-08T17:14:05Z
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