For cloud liquid water in ERA5 there are 2 variables:

  1. Specific cloud liquid water content (code 246) on pressure (and model) levels. This parameter has units of kg kg-1, see Table 9 in the ERA5 data documentation. You can convert the units of this parameter to kg m-3 by multiplying by the density (=P/RT, where P is pressure, T is the absolute temperature and R is the specific gas constant).
  2. Total column cloud liquid water (code 78) on surface and single levels. This parameter has units of kg m-2, see Table 6 in the ERA5 data documentation. These units occur because a vertical integral has been performed.

Thanks,

Kevin

2 Comments

  1. Philipp Richter

    Is there a difference between these two datasets? Should the integrated Specific cloud liquid water content (after converting to kg m-3 ) be the same as Total column cloud liquid water?

  2. Marie-Laure Frery

    Coud you explicit which density/ which specific gas constant you use for the conversion ?  is it dry air or wet constant ?

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