Extratropical cyclones (ETCs) are the dominant weather systems in mid-latitudes and play a fundamental role in climate variability, hydrological extremes, and compound wind–precipitation events. In the North Atlantic basin, these systems account for a large fraction of annual precipitation and are responsible for some of the most damaging weather events affecting Europe. Despite their importance, uncertainties remain regarding the mechanisms governing moisture uptake, transport, and precipitation generation within ETCs, as well as their response to climate change.

This work investigates North Atlantic ETCs and their associated moisture sources using a high-resolution modelling framework under both present-day and future climate conditions. The analysis combines dynamical downscaling with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, driven by ERA5 reanalysis and CMIP6 CESM2 simulations, together with the Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART. This integrated approach enables a physically consistent quantification of moisture uptake, transport pathways, and precipitation attribution throughout the cyclone life cycle.

A central aspect of the study is the sensitivity of moisture source diagnostics to the definition of cyclone-associated precipitation areas. Several complementary methodologies are examined, including radial cyclone-centred approaches, warm conveyor belt (WCB) identification, and spiral-based geometrical representations. Results indicate that while the choice of precipitation definition strongly affects the magnitude of diagnosed moisture uptake, it has a more limited influence on the spatial distribution of moisture source regions. Approaches linked to dynamical structures such as the WCB and spiral geometry provide a more complete representation of both local and remote moisture contributions, particularly from subtropical and tropical latitudes.

Meteorologist, holds a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Vigo. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Meteorology from the University of Havana and has professional experience in operational meteorology, having worked as an aeronautical meteorologist and interim head of a meteorological watch office. Her research focuses on the atmospheric water cycle, moisture transport, and extratropical cyclones, with particular expertise in high-resolution numerical modelling and Lagrangian diagnostics using FLEXPART. She has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals and regularly presents her work at major international scientific conferences.

Organização: Miguel Potes, Isilda Menezes, Mário Pereira e Rui Oliveira.