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Full catalog/MOD_L2_DC
MOD_L2_DC·v001·dataset

Spotting towering thunderstorm clouds (MODIS, Terra)

MODIS Terra L2 deep-convective cloud classification
atmosphere NASA GES_DISC Level 2
In plain English

What it measures. A classification that picks out deep, towering thunderstorm clouds (deep-convective clouds) in satellite scenes.

How it's made. Generated from MODIS data on NASA's Terra satellite using an object-based approach developed for a project cataloging marine and deep-convective cloud systems.

How & where you'd use it. Helps researchers identify and study powerful storm clouds and how cloud systems organize over time.

What's measured

ATMOSPHERE › CLOUDSATMOSPHERE › CLOUDS › CONVECTIVE CLOUDS/SYSTEMS (OBSERVED/ANALYZED)

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2001-01-01 → 2020-12-31
  • Measured byTerra (MODIS)
  • Processing levelLevel 2
  • Spatial extent-180, -60, 180, 60
  • StatusCOMPLETE

What you can do with it

  • Map air pollutants — NO₂, aerosols, ozone
  • Track greenhouse gases and Earth's energy budget
  • Feed weather and air-quality analysis
Official description

MODIS Terra L2 deep-convective cloud classification (DC) are part of our global MODIS Terra data from the 2017 MEaSUREs project, A Comprehensive Data Record of Marine Low-level and Deep Convective Cloud Systems Using an Object-Oriented Approach.

Get the data

mod_l2_dc_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="MOD_L2_DC",
    version="001",
    bounding_box=(-122.5, 37.2, -121.8, 37.9),  # your area (W,S,E,N)
    temporal=("2024-01-01", "2024-12-31"),       # your dates
)
files = earthaccess.open(results)   # stream straight from GES_DISC
Browsing CMR needs no login. Downloading or streaming bytes needs a free Earthdata Login + the earthaccess package.