The Southern Great Plains 1997 (SGP97) Hydrology Experiment originated from an interdisciplinary investigation, "Soil Moisture Mapping at Satellite Temporal and Spatial Scales" (PI: Thomas J. Jackson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD) selected under the NASA Research Announcement 95-MTPE-03. The Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) Near-Surface Observation Data Set (NESOB) 1997 Hourly Surface Composite is composed of data from several sources (i.e., Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), Department Of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Surface (ARMSFC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Wind Profiler Network (NPN), High Plains Climate Network (HPCN), National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) DATSAV3, and the NOAA Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division (ATDD) Little Washita Meteorological site for the ARM/GCIP NESOB 1997 domain. Data from these sources (approximately 100 stations) were merged and quality controlled to form this Surface Composite. This Surface Composite contains data for the ARM/GCIP NESOB 1997 time period (01 April 1997 through 31 March 1998) and for the ARM/GCIP NESOB 1997 domain only. The ARM/GCIP NESOB 1997 domain is approximately 34N to 39N latitude and 94.5W to 100.5W longitude. The ARM/GCIP NESOB 1997 Hourly Surface Composite contains ten metadata parameters and 38 data parameters and flags. The metadata parameters describe the station location and time at which the data were collected. The time of observation is reported both in Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) Nominal and UTC actual time. Days begin at UTC hour 0100 and end at UTC hour 0000 the following day. The data parameters are valid for the reported times. Missing values are reported as 9's in the data field. Several data parameters have an associated Quality Control (QC) Flag Code which is assigned during the Joint Office for Science Support (JOSS) quality control processing; data were never changed, only flagged. When not present in the raw data, the dewpoint is computed using the formula from Bolton (1980). Calculated Sea Level pressure is computed from station pressure, temperature, dewpoint, and station elevation using the formula of Wallace and Hobbs (1977). Specific Humidity values were computed from dew point and station pressure using formulas from Wexler and Wildhack (1963). The squall/gust wind speed data were not quality controlled.