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Full catalog/MYD_L2_DC
MYD_L2_DC·v001·dataset

Spotting towering thunderstorm clouds (Aqua)

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

What it measures. A classification that picks out deep convective clouds, the tall towering clouds that build into thunderstorms, from the rest of the scene.

How it's made. Produced from MODIS observations on NASA's Aqua satellite as part of a research project that used an object-oriented approach to catalog marine and convective cloud systems.

How & where you'd use it. Helps researchers identify and study thunderstorm-type cloud systems and how they behave over the ocean.

What's measured

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

Coverage & cadence

  • Time span2001-01-01 → 2020-12-31
  • Measured byAqua (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 Aqua L2 deep-convective cloud classification (DC) are part of our global MODIS Aqua 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

myd_l2_dc_access.py
import earthaccess
earthaccess.login(strategy="netrc")          # free Earthdata Login

results = earthaccess.search_data(
    short_name="MYD_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.