Extratropical is a term used in advisories and tropical summaries to indicate that a cyclone has lost its "tropical" characteristics. The term implies both poleward displacement of the cyclone and the conversion of the cyclone's primary energy source from the release of latent heat of condensation to baroclinic (the temperature contrast between warm and cold air masses) processes. It is important to note that cyclones can become extratropical and still retain winds of hurricane or tropical storm force.
Cyclones are responsible for a wide variety of different meteorological phenomena such as tropical cyclones and tornadoes.
Extratropicalcyclones (or low-pressure cells) lie somewhere in between tropical cyclones and mid-latitude cyclones, drawing a portion of their energy through the evaporation and condensation of ocean water, and some through horizontal temperature gradients in the atmosphere.
On April 27, 1999, a rare cyclone 1,100 miles in diameter was detected by the Hubble Space Telescope in the northern polar region of Mars.
Extratropicalcyclones lie somewhere in between tropical cyclones and mid-latitude cyclones, drawing a portion of their energy through the evaporation and condensation of ocean water, and some through horizontal temperature gradients in the atmosphere.
In an extratropical transition, poleward displacement of the cyclone occurs and the cyclone's primary energy source converts from the release of latent heat of condensation to a baroclinic process.
Extratropicalcyclones are generally mild storms with surface winds of 7-15 knots.
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