MODIS/Aqua Snow Cover Monthly L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG, Version 6
Data set id:
MYD10CM
DOI: 10.5067/MODIS/MYD10CM.006
There is a more recent version of these data.
Version Summary
Changes for Version 6 include:

  • Fractional Snow Cover (FSC) previously used as input to this data set has been replaced by Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) snow cover;

  • Aqua MODIS band 6 data have been restored to scientific quality using a Quantitative Image Restoration (QIR) technique. Aqua now uses the same snow detection algorithm as Terra.

Overview

This data set reports monthly average snow cover in 0.05 degree (approx. 5 km) resolution Climate Modeling Grid (CMG) cells. Monthly averages are computed from daily snow cover observations in the MODIS/Aqua Snow Cover Daily L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG (MYD10C1) data set. As of August 2023, this data set is retired and no longer available for download. We recommend using MODIS/Aqua Snow Cover Monthly L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG, Version 61 as an alternative.
Parameter(s):
SNOW EXTENT
Platform(s):
AQUA
Sensor(s):
MODIS
Data Format(s):
HDF-EOS2
Temporal Coverage:
4 July 2002 to 31 January 2023
Temporal Resolution:
  • 1 month
Spatial Resolution:
  • 0.05 deg
  • 0.05 deg
Spatial Coverage:
N:
90
S:
-90
E:
180
W:
-180
Blue outlined yellow areas on the map below indicate the spatial coverage for this data set.

Data Access & Tools

This data set has been retired. There is a more recent version of these data.

Help Articles

General Questions & FAQs

For the snow cover and sea ice products, users can use MODIS Collections 6 and 6.1 together.
Data products from VIIRS are created to be similar to MODIS data products to ensure the continuity needed for the development of snow and sea ice climate records beyond the life expectancy of MODIS. The temporal resolution and spatial extent are identical in MODIS and VIIRS.
The lag time between observations and availability of MODIS products is only a few days. Lag time may be extended due to satellite maneuvers and extra quality assurance required for the geolocation data after the maneuver.
This short article describes the customization services available for ICESat-2 data using Earthdata Search
The Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) snow cover is an index that is related to the presence of snow in a pixel and is a more accurate description of snow detection as compared to Fractional Snow Cover (FSC). Snow typically has very high visible (VIS) reflectance and very low reflectan

How to Articles

Many NSIDC DAAC data sets can be accessed using the NSIDC DAAC's Data Access Tool. This tool provides the ability to search and filter data with spatial and temporal constraints using a map-based interface.Users have the option to
To convert HDF5 files into binary format you will need to use the h5dump utility, which is part of the HDF5 distribution available from the HDF Group. How you install HDF5 depends on your operating system.
Data subscriptions are available for select NSIDC DAAC data collections. Once signed up, the subscription service automatically sends you new data as they are delivered from active NASA satellite missions.
All data from the NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center (NSIDC DAAC) can be accessed directly from our HTTPS file system, using wget or curl. Basic command line instructions are provided in the article below. 
NASA Earthdata Search is a map-based interface where a user can search for Earth science data, filter results based on spatial and temporal constraints, and order data with customizations including re-formatting, re-projecting, and spatial and parameter subsetting.