A system for measuring cloud parameters, the system comprising: a laser diode configured to generate a pulse of optical energy; a first optical fiber configured to transmit the generated pulse of optical energy and to divergently project, from a projection end, the transmitted pulse of optical energy over a first field-of-view determined by a first numerical aperture of the projection end; a collimating lens aligned within a subfield of the first field-of-view, the collimating lens configured to collimate a narrow-field portion of the divergently projected pulse of optical energy refracted by the collimating lens into a narrow-field projection volume of a cloud atmosphere; a second optical fiber having a reception end aligned proximate and substantially parallel to the transmission end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber configured to receive a portion of the projected pulse of optical energy reflected by the cloud atmosphere from within a second field of view determined by a second numerical aperture of the reception end, wherein the second field-of-view includes narrow-field and wide-field reception volumes of the cloud atmosphere, the narrow-field reception volume corresponding to locations within the cloud atmosphere from which optical energy can be directed through the collimating lens and received by the second optical fiber, the wide-field reception volume corresponding to locations within the cloud atmosphere from which optical energy can be received by the second optical fiber not through the collimating lens; and a detector configured to detect and generate a signal indicative of the portion of the projected pulse of optical energy backscattered by the cloud atmosphere and received by the second optical fiber, characterized by a wide-field projection volume of the cloud atmosphere corresponding to a portion of the projected pulse not collimated by the collimating lens. a laser diode configured to generate a pulse of optical energy; a first optical fiber configured to transmit the generated pulse of optical energy and to divergently project, from a projection end, the transmitted pulse of optical energy over a first field-of-view determined by a first numerical aperture of the projection end; a collimating lens aligned within a subfield of the first field-of-view, the collimating lens configured to collimate a narrow-field portion of the divergently projected pulse of optical energy refracted by the collimating lens into a narrow-field projection volume of a cloud atmosphere; a second optical fiber having a reception end aligned proximate and substantially parallel to the transmission end of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber configured to receive a portion of the projected pulse of optical energy reflected by the cloud atmosphere from within a second field of view determined by a second numerical aperture of the reception end, wherein the second field-of-view includes narrow-field and wide-field reception volumes of the cloud atmosphere, the narrow-field reception volume corresponding to locations within the cloud atmosphere from which optical energy can be directed through the collimating lens and received by the second optical fiber, the wide-field reception volume corresponding to locations within the cloud atmosphere from which optical energy can be received by the second optical fiber not through the collimating lens; and a detector configured to detect and generate a signal indicative of the portion of the projected pulse of optical energy backscattered by the cloud atmosphere and received by the second optical fiber, characterized by a wide-field projection volume of the cloud atmosphere corresponding to a portion of the projected pulse not collimated by the collimating lens.