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• A novel approach for regional modeling and forecasting of PWV using LS-SVR is suggested. • The results of the new model are analyzed at control and radiosonde stations. • A comparative analysis between the results of new model, GPS and VBT is made. We propose a new model for spatio-temporal modeling and forecasting of precipitable water vapor (PWV) using least square support vector regression (LS-SVR) method. The LS-SVR uses simple linear equations. As a result, the complexity of the computational algorithm is reduced. In addition, the convergence speed and accuracy of the results increase. The evaluation of the new method has been done with the observations of the GPS networks at north-west and central Alborz in Iran. In the north-west GPS network, observations of 23 GPS stations in the period of 27 October to 10 November 2011 are used. However, in central Alborz network, the observations of 11 GPS stations in the period of 10 to 24 June 2016 have been used. The north-west GPS network is in the mountainous region and its observations are for the winter season. But, the second network is near the coastal area and summer season measurements are used. The latitude, longitude and height of GPS stations, DOY, time, relative humidity, temperature and pressure are considered as an input of the LS-SVR model. The output of the new model is the PWV (LS-SVR PWV). After the training step, the new model is used to estimate the spatio-temporal variation of PWV. The results of the LS-SVR model are compared and evaluated with the standard neural network (SNN), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), support vector regression (SVR), Saastamoinen, global pressure and temperature 3 (GPT3), voxel-based tomography (VBT) models, as well as with radiosonde measurements. Error evaluation of models has been done in control stations as well as by precise point positioning (PPP) method. For LS-SVR model, the averaged RMSE in the control stations of the north-west GPS network is 1.69 mm, while for the central Alborz GPS network, 1.88 mm is calculated. Also, the averaged relative error of LS-SVR model calculated in the Tabriz and Tehran radiosonde stations are 4.66 % and 6.12 %, respectively. The results of this paper show that the LS-SVR model has a very high capability in forecasting the spatio-temporal variation of PWV at the GPS network territory. The new model can be used for accurate estimation of PWV, meteorological applications and flood forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]