Aerosols and methane in the ice giant atmospheres inferred from spatially resolved, near-infrared spectra: I. Uranus, 2001–2007

•We retrieve Uranus’ vertical cloud structure and evaluate different methane models.•Two aerosol layers are needed, including an upper haze and clouds at ∼1.9 bars.•Best fits are consistent with methane being depleted towards the poles.•We find significant reduction in southern hemisphere aerosols from 2001 to 2007.•Using retrievals and a tephigram, we argue how a discrete cloud most likely formed.