diff --git a/modules/util/viirs_surfrad.py b/modules/util/viirs_surfrad.py
index dff2f2a9c5049ef2e322e4677f14211cdf2a642f..6a7a65aff4f402dc1089dd925d664e00266a5647 100644
--- a/modules/util/viirs_surfrad.py
+++ b/modules/util/viirs_surfrad.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def run(h5f, param_s, train_tiles, valid_tiles, lbl_param_s, lbl_train_tiles, lb
 
     num_keep_y_tiles = int(num_lines / tile_width) - 3
 
-    num_y_valid = int(num_keep_y_tiles * 0.1) + 1
+    num_y_valid = int(num_keep_y_tiles * 0.15) + 1
     num_y_train = num_keep_y_tiles - num_y_valid - 1
 
     for j in range(num_y_train):