International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project

The International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) was established as the first project of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). Since its inception in 1982, there have been two phases: 1983–1995 and 1995–2009. The project is responsible for collecting and analysing satellite radiance measurements of weather. It infers clouds' global distribution and properties, along with their diurnal, seasonal, and interannual variations. The results are studied to understand clouds in the climate, including their effects on radiative energy exchanges and their role in the global water cycle. These datasets provide a systematic view of cloud behavior.

The ISCCP headquarters were located at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City. ISCCP data is stored at the ISCCP Central Archive and at NASA. While the data are typically used for climate studies, they are also a valuable resource for astronomical pursuits. ISCCP was headed by William B. Rossow.

Since 1983, institutions around the world have collected and analyzed satellite radiance measurements from two polar orbiting and five geostationary satellites.

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