Analysis of GOES waver vapor imagery showed that some modifications were required to the model's depiction of upper-level features and moisture.

The AMSU TPW product provides a means of quantifying the total column water content while GOES observes mainly middle and upper-level moisture features. GOES water vapor imagery should therefore never be used to quantify low-level moisture.

AMSU TPW indicated where the models were in error for both the timing and location of moisture, despite the presence of clouds.

The majority of the precipitation observed over eastern Washington and northern Idaho occurred in association with the plume of moisture shown by AMSU TPW. Meanwhile, the warmest temperatures on GOES 6.7 did not correlate well with the majority of the precipitation.

AMSU TPW provides forecasters with a vital tool to predict the location and timing (start/end) of significant precipitation events