A system for measuring metrics of backscattering populations of water particles of a cloud atmosphere, the system comprising: a quasi-optical transmitter configured to project a pulse of quasi-optical energy from a horn aperture into a first divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, the first divergent projection volume defined by a first axis of projection and a first angle of projection about the first axis of projection, the first angle of projection based on a ratio of a transverse dimension of the horn aperture to a wavelength of the quasi-optical energy; a quasi-optical receiver configured to detect a portion of the projected pulse of quasi-optical energy backscattered by a first backscattering population of water particles within the divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere; and a cloud metric calculator configured to determine, based on a detected portion of the projected pulse of quasi-optical energy backscattered by the first backscattering population of water particles within the divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, a first density of the backscattering population of water particles within the first divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere; characterized by an optical transmitter configured to generate a pulse of optical energy; a transmitter fiber configured to receive the generated pulse of optical energy and to project the received pulse of optical energy from a transmission end of the optical fiber into a second divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, the second divergent projection volume defined by a second axis of projection and a second angle of projection about the second axis of projection, the second angle of projection based on the numerical aperture of the fiber; a receiver fiber (140, 142) configured to receive a portion of the projected pulse of optical energy backscattered by a second backscattering population of water particles within the second divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, and wherein the cloud metric calculator is further configured to determine, based on a detected portion of the projected pulse of optical energy backscattered by the second backscattering population of water particles within the second divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, a second density of the second backscattering population of water particles within the divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere. a quasi-optical transmitter configured to project a pulse of quasi-optical energy from a horn aperture into a first divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, the first divergent projection volume defined by a first axis of projection and a first angle of projection about the first axis of projection, the first angle of projection based on a ratio of a transverse dimension of the horn aperture to a wavelength of the quasi-optical energy; a quasi-optical receiver configured to detect a portion of the projected pulse of quasi-optical energy backscattered by a first backscattering population of water particles within the divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere; and a cloud metric calculator configured to determine, based on a detected portion of the projected pulse of quasi-optical energy backscattered by the first backscattering population of water particles within the divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, a first density of the backscattering population of water particles within the first divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere; characterized by an optical transmitter configured to generate a pulse of optical energy; a transmitter fiber configured to receive the generated pulse of optical energy and to project the received pulse of optical energy from a transmission end of the optical fiber into a second divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, the second divergent projection volume defined by a second axis of projection and a second angle of projection about the second axis of projection, the second angle of projection based on the numerical aperture of the fiber; a receiver fiber (140, 142) configured to receive a portion of the projected pulse of optical energy backscattered by a second backscattering population of water particles within the second divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, and wherein the cloud metric calculator is further configured to determine, based on a detected portion of the projected pulse of optical energy backscattered by the second backscattering population of water particles within the second divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere, a second density of the second backscattering population of water particles within the divergent projection volume of the cloud atmosphere.