Satellite data is vital for understanding atmospheric properties, particularly those pertaining to cloud cover and its properties. Cloud cover is a key paremeter controlling and linking downward components of short-wave and long-wave surface radiation and precipitation on the land surface energy and water balance. On the other hand, hydrologists are now actively using the available high-resolution land and snow cover, topography, soil and vegetation characteristics data sets to parameterize distributed hydrologic models and to couple these models with atmospheric models. Adequate...