How high is that cloud?

I picked up a cheap infarred themometer a few days ago and discovered
that it will happily tell me the temperature of the clouds if they
are low.

It seems to me that the temp gradiant from the ground is well known
and if its consistant, this device combined with a table could tell
me how low the coulds are.

For example right now there are clear skys and its reading -27*C.
METAR at hte local airport is claiming 230900Z 19011KT CAVOK 14/09
Q1027 so there should be a 41*C difference between ground and
whatever the thing is reading the temp of in a clear sky. Today
it was reading -8 with a cloud base of at least 5000 ft.

Any comments on this?

-tim
http://web.abnormal.com