This paper presents automatic methods for obtaining convective boundary layer mean depths, cloud base altitudes, cloud top altitudes, cloud coverages, and cloud shadows using the University of Wisconsin volume imaging lidar (VIL). These methods provide mesoscale observations representing the 70 km2 scanning area of the VIL. All data obtained with the VIL during the 1989 First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment are analyzed and the results are summarized. The reliability of these methods is verified by comparing the results with radiosonde profiles, satellite images, and visual estimates from range height indicator scans of the VIL. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1995