Numerical experiments have been conducted to simulate the GOES Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR) visible sensor's response under varying surface and atmospheric conditions, as a function of solar zenith angle. The possible bias in the information obtained with this limited spectral response sensor was assessed by comparing the narrow--band filtered clear--sky planetary albedo, as observable with the VISSR, with the broadband ( 0.3--2.5 μm) unfiltered planetary albedo under the same environmental conditions. Four cases of wavelength--dependent surface albedo (snow, meadow, dry sand, and water) and three atmospheric conditions have been simulated. It was demonstrated that the relationship between the filtered and the broadband planetary albedo depends primarily on the assumptions made about the magnitude and wavelength dependence of the surface albedo and, to a lesser extent, on the atmospheric conditions. Under certain circumstances (e.g., dry sand, water), the two were found to be in close agreement. For snow the filtered albedo exceeds the broadband albedo for all zenith angles; for meadow the broadband albedo will exceed the filtered albedo. Regression equations were derived to transform the VISSR filtered albedo to unfiltered broadband albedo for each surface type. ¿American Geophysical Union 1987