Large scale moisture patterns and their link with heavy precipitation events during the HyMeX SOP1

Integrated water vapour content (IWVC) as derived from observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) together with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations are used to highlight the large scale moisture variability across the Western Mediterranean basin for the month of October 2012. The link with the storm tracks and heavy precipitation event which occurred during the HyMeX SOP1 is analysed using 15-min resolution infrared imagery from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI).