Data from: The Environmental Conditions Behind the Formation of Small (subLCL) Clouds

SubLCL clouds are defined here as clouds that form below the estimated lifting condensation level (LCL), on days that are predicted to be cloud-free. Measurements of thermodynamic and sky conditions during the Eastern Mediterranean summer are used here together with numerical simulations to study the conditions that support subLCL clouds’ formation. It was previously demonstrated that humidity driven buoyant parcels in mid-boundary layer (BL) are likely to be the formation mechanism. We found the height of the LCL above the BL top and the RH near the BL top to be good predictors of these clouds’ formation. In addition, the average change in RH in the rising parcels that form them was found to have a specific constant value (4.4∓0.2 [%] per 100 m of elevation). This value enables the prediction of subLCL clouds’ formation on days that rising parcels can reach saturation while moving up in the BL.