FIGURE 4.4: Longwave cloud forcing, the amount by which clouds reduce the escaping thermal emission from Earth, 1985-1986. Positive values indicate that clouds are reducing the thermal energy emission to space, a positive effect on the energy budget. Note the large positive forcing due to the deep convective clouds trapping long-wave emission in the tropical West Pacific and Indian Ocean region and over the equatorial continents.

SOURCE: Graphic by D. Hartmann and M. Michelsen, University of Washington.