Regional atmospheric model simulations over the Mackenzie, Kuparuk, and Lena watersheds have been completed for the time period September 1998 through September 2000 using domains with 50 km and nested 10 km horizontal grid spacing. These simulations are part of a 5-year collaborative project between the University of Colorado, Iowa State University, and the University of Alaska – Fairbanks to model coupled atmosphere – land hydrologic processes over watersheds with continuous and discontinuous permafrost. Output from the atmospheric model simulations will be used to drive a very high resolution land hydrology model, and potential feedbacks between the atmosphere and land process will be studied with a series of uncoupled model experiments. Initial results from the atmospheric model simulations will be presented, with a focus on model validation of the near surface atmospheric state. Particular attention will be given to model errors that are likely to have the largest impact in forcing the land hydrology model. A discussion of differences between the 50 km and 10 km horizontal grid spacing results will also be included.