Re‐Evaluation of Low Cloud Amount Relationships With Lower‐Tropospheric Stability and Estimated Inversion Strength

Lower-tropospheric stability (LTS) and estimated inversion strength (EIS) have a widely accepted relationship with low cloud amount are key observational foundations for understanding modeling low-level stratiform clouds. Using the updated surface-based satellite data, we find that is not as strongly correlated LTS, sensitive to established in past. EIS does provide stronger correlation than LTS over all eight regions (including midlatitudes). Further analyzing relationships between different types of clouds, there strong stratocumulus only. This explains weaker fraction cumulus, stratocumulus, stratus) both EIS. These results also suggest need re-evaluate these Earth system models.