Fine-scale precipitation structure of a cold front and the problem of the representativeness error

Abstract. The proper knowledge of spatial precipitation structure is important as much as that of microphysics processes for reliable quantitative precipitation forecasts. This study considers some aspects of how precipitation is organized on meso- and fine-scales, within a cold front line and how moisture transport is driven by these structures. Also, a spectral space vision of the representativeness error is proposed, which highlights uncertainties arising on the scales lying between resolutions of different networks. This approach is used to explain an improper simulation of humidity and precipitation fields in models whose resolution is coarser than the scales being considered.