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A gridded precipitation dataset derived from the high-density rain gauge network of the Ebro River Basin Authority is used to evaluate the performance of Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) level-3 estimates. Although aggregated values compare well, several differences are found between climate regions. The research investigates the role of orography and gauge density on IMERG performance. There are important discrepancies over un-instrumented areas in the Pyrenees (R2 = 0.31) but the correlation dramatically increases (R2 > 0.71) when at least one rain gauge is available for calibration, even in complex, high-altitude terrain (>1500 m). IMERG overestimates precipitation at both lower altitudes (<500 m), especially in summer and autumn because of convective activity, and mid-altitudes (600–1200 m) in the northwestern study area, where weather is dominated by the advection of wet maritime air masses. The main conclusion is that IMERG performance strongly depends on altitude and the precipitation regime. IMERG is nonetheless a suitable alternative to gridded gauge-derived only products for hydrologic operations, especially in areas with a sparse rain gauge network.
•The performance of IMERG precipitation product in complex terrain areas is evaluated.•Seasonal variability and altitude play a key role in product performance.•IMERG compares well at aggregated level but underestimates precipitation maxima.•Best scores are at mid-elevations and the worst are at low and high elevations.•IMERG is useful in areas where rain gauges are sparse, even in complex regions.