The Nimbus 7 LIMS Level 2 profiles of water vapor have been processed with an updated Version 6 (V6) algorithm. There are improvements in the temperature-pressure T(p) profiles as well as in the other species distributions. Better determinations of the instrument attitude have been achieved, leading to distributions of water vapor that are seasonally-symmetric for the NH and SH. In particular, the V6 zonal-averaged water vapor distribution in May no longer shows anomalously high values of H20 at middle to high latitudes in the SH lower stratosphere. Updated estimates of accuracy will be provided for these V6 H20 distributions.

Time series of water vapor mixing ratio as a function of latitude on isentropic surfaces have been used to illustrate an annual cycle in the poleward transport of air in the lower stratosphere. This meridional transport signature in LIMS V6 water vapor will be presented and compared to HALOE and SAGE water vapor observations. Those results will then be compared to time-latitude sections of LIMS V6 ozone, which is also a good tracer of air motions in the lower stratosphere.