These light detection and ranging (lidar) point clouds (LPCs) were generated from lidar data collected during multiple field campaigns in three study areas near Winter Park, Colorado. Small, uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) collected lidar datasets to represent snow-covered and snow-free periods. More information regarding the sUAS used and data collection methods can be found in the Supplemental Information and process step sections of each study area metadata file.

This data release consists of three child items distinguishing the following types of data: light detection and ranging (lidar) point clouds (LPCs), digital elevation models (DEMs), and snow depth raster maps. These three data types are all derived from lidar data collected on small, uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) at study areas in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado, from 2020 to 2022. These data were collected and generated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) Upper Colorado River Basin project.

This data release consists of three child items distinguishing the following types of data: light detection and ranging (lidar) point clouds (LPCs), digital elevation models (DEMs), and snow depth raster maps. These three data types are all derived from lidar data collected on small, uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) at study areas in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado, from 2020 to 2022. These data were collected and generated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) Upper Colorado River Basin project.

CAL_LID_L2_BlowingSnow_Greenland-Standard-V1-00 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 2 Blowing Snow - Greenland, Version 1-00 data product. This product was collected using the CALIPSO Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument and reports the distribution of blowing snow properties based on back-scatter retrievals over Greenland. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments: CALIOP, Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales). CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006, to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate. From June 13, 2006, to September 13, 2018, CALIPSO was part of the A-Train constellation for coincident Earth Observations. After September 13, 2018, the satellite was lowered from 705 to 688 km to resume flying in formation with CloudSat, called the C-Train.

CAL_LID_L3_Cloud_Occurrence-Standard-V1-00 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 3 Cloud Occurrence Data, Standard Version 1-00 data product. This data product was collected using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. The degradation of the laser energies that started in September 2016 had a negative impact on the product, and because of this, generation and distribution ended in December 2016. Updated Lidar Level 2 data products and changes to the Lidar Level 3 Cloud Occurrence algorithm will need to be completed before a new release of this product is released.This product reports global distributions of clouds on a uniform spatial grid. All level 3 parameters are derived from the CALIPSO level 2 data, with a temporal average of one month. CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006, and continues to collect data necessary to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate. It flies in the international A-Train constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments: CALIOP, Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency CNES.

CAL_LID_L3_Cloud_Occurrence-Standard-V1-00 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 3 Cloud Occurrence Data, Standard Version 1-00 data product. This data product was collected using the Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. Data collection for this product is complete. This product reports global distributions of clouds on a uniform spatial grid. All level 3 parameters are derived from the CALIPSO level 2 data, with a temporal averaging of one month. CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006 and continues to collect data necessary to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate . It flies in the international A-Train constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments, CALIOP, Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.

CAL_LID_L3_Tropospheric_APro_CloudySkyTransparent-Standard-V4-20 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 3 Tropospheric Aerosol Profiles, Cloudy Sky Transparent Data, Standard Version 4-20 data product. Data collection, which is ongoing, is collected using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. The CALIPSO lidar level 3 aerosol data product reports monthly mean profiles of aerosol optical properties on a uniform spatial grid. It is intended to be a tropospheric product and so data are only reported below altitudes of 12 km. All level 3 parameters are derived from the version 4.20 CALIOP level 2 aerosol profile product and have been quality screened prior to averaging. The primary quantities reported are vertical profiles of aerosol extinction coefficient at 532 nm and its vertical integral, the aerosol optical depth (AOD). Aerosol type and spatial distribution information are also included. Averaged profile data is reported for all aerosols, regardless of type, and for mineral dust aerosol only. Classification of dust is based on the aerosol type flags in the level 2 profile product. To keep level 3 file sizes manageable, there are four different types of level 3 files produced, depending on the sky condition and the temporal coverage of the data prior to averaging: Description of the Four Sky Conditions (Day, Night) 1) All Sky: All level 2 columns are averaged, regardless of cloud occurrence, 2) Cloud-Free: Only cloud-free level 2 columns are averaged, 3) Cloudy-Sky, Transparent: Only level 2 columns containing transparent clouds are averaged, and 4) Cloud-Sky, Opaque: Only level 2 columns containing opaque clouds are averaged CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006 to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate. It flies in formation with five other satellites in the international "A-Train" (PDF) constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments, the CALIOP, the Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and the Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.

CAL_LID_L3_Tropospheric_APro_CloudySkyOpaque-Standard-V4-20 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 3 Tropospheric Aerosol Profiles, Cloudy Sky Opaque Data, Standard Version 4-20 data product. This data product was collected using the Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. Data collection for this product is ongoing. The CALIPSO lidar level 3 aerosol data product reports monthly mean profiles of aerosol optical properties on a uniform spatial grid. It is intended to be a tropospheric product and so data are only reported below altitudes of 12km. All level 3 parameters are derived from the version 4.20 CALIOP level 2 aerosol profile product and have been quality screened prior to averaging. The primary quantities reported are vertical profiles of aerosol extinction coefficient at 532 nm and its vertical integral, the aerosol optical depth (AOD). Aerosol type and spatial distribution information are also included. Averaged profile data is reported for all aerosols, regardless of type, and for mineral dust aerosol only. Classification of dust is based on the aerosol type flags in the level 2 profile product. To keep level 3 file sizes manageable, there are four different types of level 3 files produced, depending on the sky condition and the temporal coverage of the data prior to averaging. Description of the Four Sky Conditions (Day, Night): 1) All Sky: All level 2 columns are averaged, regardless of cloud occurrence 2) Cloud-Free: Only cloud-free level 2 columns are averaged 3) Cloudy-Sky, Transparent: Only level 2 columns containing transparent clouds are averaged 4) Cloud-Sky, Opaque: Only level 2 columns containing opaque clouds are averaged CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006 and continues to collect data necessary to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate . It flies in the international A-Train constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments, CALIOP, Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.

CAL_LID_L3_Tropospheric_APro_CloudySkyTransparent-Standard-V4-21 is the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Lidar Level 3 Tropospheric Aerosol Profiles, Cloudy Sky Transparent Data, Standard Version 4-20 data product. Data collection, which is ongoing, is collected using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument. The CALIPSO lidar level 3 aerosol data product reports monthly mean profiles of aerosol optical properties on a uniform spatial grid. It is intended to be a tropospheric product and so data are only reported below altitudes of 12 km. All level 3 parameters are derived from the version 4.21 CALIOP level 2 aerosol profile product and have been quality screened prior to averaging. The primary quantities reported are vertical profiles of aerosol extinction coefficient at 532 nm and its vertical integral, the aerosol optical depth (AOD). Aerosol type and spatial distribution information are also included. Averaged profile data is reported for all aerosols, regardless of type, and for mineral dust aerosol only. Classification of dust is based on the aerosol type flags in the level 2 profile product. To keep level 3 file sizes manageable, there are four different types of level 3 files produced, depending on the sky condition and the temporal coverage of the data prior to averaging: Description of the Four Sky Conditions (Day, Night) 1) All Sky: All level 2 columns are averaged, regardless of cloud occurrence, 2) Cloud-Free: Only cloud-free level 2 columns are averaged, 3) Cloudy-Sky, Transparent: Only level 2 columns containing transparent clouds are averaged, and 4) Cloud-Sky, Opaque: Only level 2 columns containing opaque clouds are averaged CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006 to study the impact of clouds and aerosols on the Earth's radiation budget and climate. It flies in formation with five other satellites in the international "A-Train" (PDF) constellation for coincident Earth observations. The CALIPSO satellite comprises three instruments, the CALIOP, the Imaging Infrared Radiometer (IIR), and the Wide Field Camera (WFC). CALIPSO is a joint satellite mission between NASA and the French Agency, CNES.