diff --git a/cime_config/testdefs/testlist_cam.xml b/cime_config/testdefs/testlist_cam.xml
index 0a4849d7..06b5b72f 100644
--- a/cime_config/testdefs/testlist_cam.xml
+++ b/cime_config/testdefs/testlist_cam.xml
@@ -218,6 +218,17 @@
     </options>
   </test>
 
+  <!-- radiation convective cloud water path test -->
+  <test compset="FPHYStest" grid="ne3pg3_ne3pg3_mg37" name="SMS_Ln2" testmods="cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho">
+    <machines>
+      <machine name="derecho" compiler="gnu" category="aux_sima"/>
+    </machines>
+    <options>
+      <option name="wallclock">00:10:00</option>
+      <option name="comment">Test for convective cloud water path for radiation</option>
+    </options>
+  </test>
+
   <!-- tracer_data chemistry and aerosols input utility test -->
   <test compset="FPHYStest" grid="ne3pg3_ne3pg3_mg37" name="SMS_Ln2" testmods="cam/outfrq_trcdata_bam_derecho">
     <machines>
diff --git a/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho/shell_commands b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho/shell_commands
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..136dc9ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho/shell_commands
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ ./xmlchange CAM_CONFIG_OPTS="--dyn none --physics-suites cloud_water"
diff --git a/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho/user_nl_cam b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho/user_nl_cam
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..32078302
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/cam/outfrq_cloud_water_derecho/user_nl_cam
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+ncdata = '/glade/campaign/cesm/community/amwg/sima_baselines/cam_sima_test_snapshots/cam6_4_185_ne3pg3_fhist_convective_cloud_water_snapshot_derecho_gnu_before_c20260716.nc'
+ncdata_check = '/glade/campaign/cesm/community/amwg/sima_baselines/cam_sima_test_snapshots/cam6_4_185_ne3pg3_fhist_convective_cloud_water_snapshot_derecho_gnu_after_c20260716.nc'
+
+! fhist:
+pver = 32
+
+debug_output = 1
+ncdata_check_err = .true.
+
+conv_water_in_rad = 1
+conv_water_frac_limit = 0.01D0
+
+! Exclude snow/graupel outputs as qsout/qgout are PUMAS outputs
+! with no CAM pbuf so they cannot be passed into the snapshot:
+! the standalone suite can only run with zero snow/graupel so
+! snowy cells:
+!ncdata_check_exclude = 'liquid_plus_snow_stratiform_cloud_area_fraction',
+!    'liquid_plus_graupel_stratiform_cloud_area_fraction',
+!    'in_cloud_snow_water_path', 'stratiform_in_cloud_graupel_water_path'
+
+hist_add_inst_fields;h1: ICLMRCU, ICIMRCU, ICLMRTOT, ICIMRTOT, GCLMRSH, GCLMRDP, GCIMRSH, GCIMRDP, FRESH, FREDP, FRECU, FRETOT
+hist_output_frequency;h1: 1*nsteps
+hist_write_nstep0;h1: .true.
+hist_precision;h1: REAL64
+hist_max_frames;h1: 3
diff --git a/src/data/registry.xml b/src/data/registry.xml
index 6bb13233..951c5119 100644
--- a/src/data/registry.xml
+++ b/src/data/registry.xml
@@ -198,6 +198,14 @@
       <initial_value>0.0_kind_phys</initial_value>
       <ic_file_input_names>dlfzm pbuf_DLFZM</ic_file_input_names>
     </variable>
+    <variable local_name="icwmrsh"
+              standard_name="in_cloud_water_vapor_mixing_ratio_wrt_moist_air_and_condensed_water_due_to_shallow_convection"
+              units="kg kg-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0.0_kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>ICWMRSH pbuf_ICWMRSH</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
     <variable local_name="dlf"
               standard_name="detrainment_of_cloud_liquid_water_wrt_moist_air_and_condensed_water_due_to_all_convection"
               units="kg kg-1 s-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
@@ -222,6 +230,22 @@
       <initial_value>0.0_kind_phys</initial_value>
       <ic_file_input_names>pbuf_RPRDDP</ic_file_input_names>
     </variable>
+    <variable local_name="dp_frac"
+              standard_name="deep_convective_cloud_area_fraction"
+              units="fraction" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0.0_kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>DP_FRAC pbuf_DP_FRAC</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="sh_frac"
+              standard_name="shallow_convective_cloud_area_fraction"
+              units="fraction" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0.0_kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>SH_FRAC pbuf_SH_FRAC</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
     <variable local_name="rliq"
               standard_name="vertically_integrated_cloud_liquid_water_tendency_due_to_all_convection_to_be_applied_later_in_time_loop"
               units="m s-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
@@ -1956,6 +1980,61 @@
       <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
       <ic_file_input_names>DES pbuf_DES</ic_file_input_names>
     </variable>
+    <!-- convective_cloud_water + cloud_water_paths inputs for RRTMGP cloud optics -->
+    <variable local_name="effi_external_in"
+              standard_name="effective_radius_of_stratiform_cloud_ice_particle"
+              units="um" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>REI pbuf_REI</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="concld"
+              standard_name="convective_cloud_area_fraction"
+              units="fraction" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>CONCLD pbuf_CONCLD</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="qsout"
+              standard_name="snow_mixing_ratio_wrt_moist_air_and_condensed_water_of_new_state"
+              units="kg kg-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>QSOUT pbuf_QSOUT</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="qgout"
+              standard_name="graupel_water_mixing_ratio_wrt_moist_air_and_condensed_water_of_new_state"
+              units="kg kg-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>QGOUT pbuf_QGOUT</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="totg_liq"
+              standard_name="gridbox_total_cloud_liquid_water_mixing_ratio_wrt_moist_air_and_condensed_water"
+              units="kg kg-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>GB_TOTCLDLIQMR pbuf_GB_TOTCLDLIQMR</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="totg_ice"
+              standard_name="gridbox_total_cloud_ice_mixing_ratio_wrt_moist_air_and_condensed_water"
+              units="kg kg-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"
+              allocatable="allocatable">
+      <dimensions>horizontal_dimension vertical_layer_dimension</dimensions>
+      <initial_value>0._kind_phys</initial_value>
+      <ic_file_input_names>GB_TOTCLDICEMR pbuf_GB_TOTCLDICEMR</ic_file_input_names>
+    </variable>
+    <variable local_name="one_mom_clouds"
+              standard_name="flag_for_one_moment_cloud_microphysics"
+              units="flag" type="logical">
+      <long_name>flag indicating one-moment (RK) cloud microphysics is active</long_name>
+      <initial_value>.false.</initial_value>
+    </variable>
     <variable local_name="qrs"
               standard_name="tendency_of_dry_air_enthalpy_at_constant_pressure_due_to_shortwave_radiation_adjusted_by_air_pressure_thickness"
               units="J Pa kg-1 s-1" type="real" kind="kind_phys"