PatagoniaMet: A multi-source hydrometeorological dataset for Western Patagonia

Area of Science:

• Hydrology
• Meteorology
• Climate Science

Background:

• Limited hydrometeorological data availability and quality control hinder research in Western Patagonia.
• Existing data gaps impede comprehensive studies of this significant freshwater region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop PatagoniaMet (PMET), a robust hydrometeorological dataset for Western Patagonia.
• To improve data accessibility and quality for scientific research and freshwater ecosystem studies.

Main Methods:

• Compiled 523 hydrometeorological time series (PMET-obs; 1950-2020) with a 4-step quality control process.
• Developed a daily gridded dataset (PMET-sim; 1980-2020) using bias correction, spatial regression, and hydrological modeling.
• Validated PMET-sim against alternative datasets using hydrological modeling.

Main Results:

• PMET-obs provides a quality-controlled compilation of ground-based data from 1950-2020.
• PMET-sim achieved Kling-Gupta efficiencies >0.7 in 72% of catchments, outperforming alternatives (50%).
• The dataset facilitates new research in Western Patagonia's large freshwater ecosystems.

Conclusions:

• PatagoniaMet significantly advances hydrometeorological data availability and quality in Western Patagonia.
• This resource is expected to stimulate new research and understanding of the region's freshwater systems.
• Improved data infrastructure is crucial for addressing data limitations in understudied regions.