A spatially comprehensive, hydrometeorological data set for Mexico, the U.S., and Southern Canada 1950–2013

Abstract

A data set of observed daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature, gridded to a 1/16° (~6 km) resolution, is described that spans the entire country of Mexico, the conterminous U.S. (CONUS), and regions of Canada south of 53° N for the period 1950–2013. The dataset improves previous products in spatial extent, orographic precipitation adjustment over Mexico and parts of Canada, and reduction of transboundary discontinuities. The impacts of adjusting gridded precipitation for orographic effects are quantified by scaling precipitation to an elevation-aware 1981–2010 precipitation climatology in Mexico and Canada. Differences are evaluated in terms of total precipitation as well as by hydrologic quantities simulated with a land surface model. Overall, orographic correction impacts total precipitation by up to 50% in mountainous regions outside CONUS. Hydrologic fluxes show sensitivities of similar magnitude, with discharge more sensitive than evapotranspiration and soil moisture. Because of the consistent gridding methodology, the current product reduces transboundary discontinuities as compared with a commonly used reanalysis product, making it suitable for estimating large-scale hydrometeorologic phenomena.

Changes in the frequency and severity of hydrological droughts over Ethiopia from 1960 to 2013

“…This dataset was compiled from monthly rainfall observations at meteorological stations across the global land areas, providing anomalies from a 1961 to 1990 mean and allowing absolute monthly values to be obtained when combined with the climatology (Harris et al, 2014). CRU data (v3.22) have been validated against in situ observations in many regions worldwide, confirming their reliability (e.g., El Kenawy and McCabe, 2015;Livneh et al, 2015;Stagge et al, 2015). Accordingly, this dataset can provide valuable information on relatively reasonable spatial and temporal resolutions for assessment of current droughts and their impacts in the region.…”

A high-resolution dataset of water fluxes and states for Germany accounting for parametric uncertainty

“…These data are based on the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model (Liang et al, 1994) and have, at most, a spatial resolution of 1/16 • and cover the contiguous United States, Mexico, China, and parts of Canada. Livneh et al (2015); Newman et al (2015a);and Newman et al (2015b) provide data on the same domain with a focus on meteorological data. A set of four models was used in the NLDAS project to assess the water balance components over the contiguous United States (Mitchell, 2004;Xia et al, 2012a, b).…”

Testing the SWAT Model with Gridded Weather Data of Different Spatial Resolutions

“…Indeed, climate networks are prone to being irregularly spaced and operated over non-uniform periods. This problem may be circumvented by using gridded climate products constructed from weather reanalysis systems, such as CFSR (Climate Forecasting System Reanalysis) from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction [7], ERAs from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) [8], SAFRAN (Système d'Analyse Fournissant des Renseignements Adaptés à la Nivologie) from Météo-France, the French weather agency [9][10][11] or the L15 dataset covering North America and described in Livneh, et al [12].…”