Long-term daily dataset of surface sensible heat flux and latent heat release over the Tibetan Plateau based on routine meteorological observations

Abstract

ABSTRACT As the main components of the atmospheric heat source/sink over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), up-to-date spatiotemporal fields of surface sensible heat flux and latent heat release by precipitation are vital for investigating the local land–atmosphere interaction and the effect of the thermal forcing of the TP on global weather and climate. This study recalculates the long-term daily dataset of surface sensible heat flux and latent heat release of condensation over the TP based on 293 routine meteorological observations, with the latest date being 31 December 2019. Most stations have adequate and valid records during the period 1981–2019, and the results for 1951–1980 are also calculated if the observations are available. Moreover, a brief evaluation of the climatology and long-term variation during 1981–2019 is conducted. By providing the most continuous and longest set of observational surface sensible heat flux and latent heat release of condensation data over the TP with a high degree of credibility, this new dataset will support research concerning the multi-timescale variation of diabatic heating/cooling over the TP and its remote influence. It is openly available on the LASG data-sharing platform (http://data.lasg.ac.cn/TPSHLH/).