Here we experiment a way to provide higher resolution surface forcing dataset by downscaling the 0.125 degree NLDAS-2 product and merging it with the 4-km Stage-IV radar/gauge rainfall product and the GOES Solar Insolation Product (GSIP). The hourly Stage-IV product is first gap-filled with Stage II product and then adjusted against 6-hourly Stage IV data. The adjusted 4-km Stage-IV is then rescaled to match NLDAS-2 precpitation at 0.125 degree and daily level (preserving variability at fine temporal/spatial scales). The GSIP is used replace NLDAS-2 solar radiation whenever available. Other NLDAS-2 variables are downscaled with the help of 1-km elevation data: 1) elevation adjustment for temperature (fixed lapse rate) and pressure (hydrostatic), 2) bilinear interpolation of relative humidity & vapor pressure calculated from relative humidity and elevation adjusted temperature/pressure, 3) longwave from elevation adjusted radiative temperature, 4) solar angle adjustment for GSIP, 5) bilinear interpolation of wind & shortwave radiation.
We also show how the downscaled forcing dataset helps enable a near real-time hydrologic monitoring system over the Contiguous United States (CONUS).
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