diff --git a/physics/GFS_rrtmgp_pre.F90 b/physics/GFS_rrtmgp_pre.F90
index b5fd3ed14..4d076706c 100644
--- a/physics/GFS_rrtmgp_pre.F90
+++ b/physics/GFS_rrtmgp_pre.F90
@@ -199,8 +199,7 @@ subroutine GFS_rrtmgp_pre_run (Model, Grid, Statein, Coupling, Radtend, Sfcprop,
     real(kind_phys),dimension(NCOL,Model%levs) :: vmr_o3, vmr_h2o, coldry, tem0, colamt
     real(kind_phys) :: es, qs, tem1, tem2
     real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol, NF_ALBD) :: sfcalb
-    real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol, Model%levs) :: qs_lay, q_lay, deltaZ, deltaP, o3_lay, p_lay_log
-    real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol, Model%levs+1) :: p_lev_log
+    real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol, Model%levs) :: qs_lay, q_lay, deltaZ, deltaP, o3_lay
     real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol, Model%levs, NF_VGAS) :: gas_vmr
     real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol, Model%levs, NF_CLDS) :: clouds
     real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol) ::  precipitableH2o
@@ -242,35 +241,15 @@ subroutine GFS_rrtmgp_pre_run (Model, Grid, Statein, Coupling, Radtend, Sfcprop,
 
     ! Temperature at layer-interfaces
     if (top_at_1) then
-       ! Log of pressure (used for temperature level interpolation)
-       p_lay_log             = log(p_lay)
-       p_lev_log(:,1)        = log(max(1.0e-6,p_lev(:,1)))
-       p_lev_log(:,2:iSFC+1) = log(p_lev(:,2:iSFC+1))
-       !
        t_lev(1:NCOL,1)      = t_lay(1:NCOL,iTOA)
-       do iLay=2,iSFC
-          t_lev(1:nCol,iLay) = t_lay(1:nCol,iLay) + (t_lay(1:nCol,iLay-1)-t_lay(1:nCol,iLay)) * &
-               (p_lev_log(1:nCol,iLay)   - p_lay_log(1:nCol,iLay)) / &
-               (p_lay_log(1:nCol,iLay-1) - p_lay_log(1:nCol,iLay))
-       enddo
-       !t_lev(1:NCOL,2:iSFC) = (t_lay(1:NCOL,2:iSFC)+t_lay(1:NCOL,1:iSFC-1))/2._kind_phys
+       t_lev(1:NCOL,2:iSFC) = (t_lay(1:NCOL,2:iSFC)+t_lay(1:NCOL,1:iSFC-1))/2._kind_phys
        t_lev(1:NCOL,iSFC+1) = Sfcprop%tsfc(1:NCOL)
     else
-       ! Log of pressure (used for temperature level interpolation)
-       p_lay_log             = log(p_lay)
-       p_lev_log(:,1)        = log(max(1.0e-6,p_lev(:,1)))
-       p_lev_log(:,2:iTOA+1) = log(p_lev(:,2:iTOA+1))
-       !
        t_lev(1:NCOL,1)      = Sfcprop%tsfc(1:NCOL)
-       do iLay=2,iTOA
-          t_lev(1:nCol,iLay) = t_lay(1:nCol,iLay-1) + (t_lay(1:nCol,iLay)-t_lay(1:nCol,iLay-1)) * &
-               (p_lev_log(1:nCol,iLay)-p_lay_log(1:nCol,iLay-1)) / &
-               (p_lay_log(1:nCol,iLay)-p_lay_log(1:nCol,iLay-1))
-       enddo
-       !t_lev(1:NCOL,2:iTOA) = (t_lay(1:NCOL,2:iTOA)+t_lay(1:NCOL,1:iTOA-1))/2._kind_phys
+       t_lev(1:NCOL,2:iTOA) = (t_lay(1:NCOL,2:iTOA)+t_lay(1:NCOL,1:iTOA-1))/2._kind_phys
        t_lev(1:NCOL,iTOA+1) = t_lay(1:NCOL,iTOA)
     endif
-
+    
     ! Compute layer pressure thicknes
     deltaP = abs(p_lev(:,2:model%levs+1)-p_lev(:,1:model%levs))
 
diff --git a/physics/rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics.F90 b/physics/rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics.F90
index 0447caea5..31551d797 100644
--- a/physics/rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics.F90
+++ b/physics/rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics.F90
@@ -646,16 +646,19 @@ subroutine rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics(ncol, nlay, nBandsLW, cld_lwp, cld_ref_liq, cld
                                fint*(absice3(index+1,ib) - absice3(index,ib)) ))
                        enddo
                     endif
-                 endif
- 
-                 ! Cloud optical depth
-                 do ib = 1, nBandsLW
-                    tau_cld(ij,ik,ib) = tau_ice(ib) + tau_liq(ib) + tau_rain + tau_snow
-                 enddo
-
-              endif ! Cloud layer?
-           end do   ! Layer
-        end do      ! Column
+                 endif 
+              else
+                 tau_rain   = 0.
+                 tau_snow   = 0.
+                 tau_liq(:) = 0.
+                 tau_ice(:) = 0.
+              endif
+              ! Cloud optical depth
+              do ib = 1, nBandsLW
+                 tau_cld(ij,ik,ib) = tau_ice(ib) + tau_liq(ib) + tau_rain + tau_snow
+              enddo
+           end do
+        end do
      endif
    end subroutine rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics
    ! #######################################################################################
diff --git a/physics/rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics.F90 b/physics/rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics.F90
index 1ba051768..aacecd6df 100644
--- a/physics/rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics.F90
+++ b/physics/rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics.F90
@@ -395,7 +395,8 @@ subroutine rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics_run(doLWrad, nCol, nLev, cld_optics_scheme, nr
 
     ! Local variables
     logical,dimension(ncol,nLev) :: liqmask, icemask
-    integer :: k
+    real(kind_phys), dimension(ncol,nLev,lw_gas_props%get_nband()) :: &
+         tau_cld
 
     ! Initialize CCPP error handling variables
     errmsg = ''
@@ -411,7 +412,6 @@ subroutine rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics_run(doLWrad, nCol, nLev, cld_optics_scheme, nr
     ! Cloud optics [nCol,nLev,nBands]
     call check_error_msg('rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics_run',lw_optical_props_cloudsByBand%alloc_1scl(&
          ncol, nLev, lw_gas_props%get_band_lims_wavenumber()))
-    lw_optical_props_cloudsByBand%tau(:,:,:) = 0._kind_phys
 
     ! Compute cloud-optics for RTE.
     if (rrtmgp_cld_optics .gt. 0) then
@@ -434,7 +434,8 @@ subroutine rrtmgp_lw_cloud_optics_run(doLWrad, nCol, nLev, cld_optics_scheme, nr
        if (any(cld_frac .gt. 0)) then
           call rrtmg_lw_cloud_optics(ncol, nLev, lw_gas_props%get_nband(), cld_lwp,     &
                cld_reliq, cld_iwp, cld_reice, cld_rwp, cld_rerain, cld_swp, cld_resnow, &
-               cld_frac, lw_optical_props_cloudsByBand%tau)
+               cld_frac, tau_cld)
+          lw_optical_props_cloudsByBand%tau = tau_cld
        endif
     endif