Filling Gaps in Hourly Air Temperature Data Using Debiased ERA5 Data

Missing data in hourly and daily temperature data series is a common problem in long-term data series and many observational networks. Agricultural and environmental models and climate-related tools can be used only if weather data series are complete. To support user communities, a technique for gap filling is developed based on the debiasing of ERA5 reanalysis data, the fifth generation of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) atmospheric reanalyses of the global climate. The debiasing procedure includes in situ measured temperature. The methodology is tested for different landscapes, latitudes, and altitudes, including tropical and midlatitudes. An evaluation of results in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) obtained using hourly and daily data is provided. The study shows very low average RMSE for all gap lengths ranging from 1.1 degrees C (Montecristo, Italy) to 1.9 degrees C (Gumpenstein, Austria).