extratropischen

"Extratropischen" is the German inflected form of the adjective "extratropisch," equivalent to the English term "extratropical." In meteorological contexts it describes weather systems, air masses and processes that occur outside the tropics, typically in mid-latitude and polar regions between about 30° and 70° latitude in both hemispheres.

Extratropical systems are characterized by strong horizontal temperature gradients and baroclinic instability, which drive the development of fronts and mid-latitude cyclones. Unlike tropical cyclones, which are fueled primarily by latent heat from warm ocean waters and have a warm-core structure, extratropical cyclones often have cold cores, asymmetric structures, and are closely associated with cold and warm fronts. They evolve through stages of cyclogenesis, maturation and occlusion, and can merge or undergo re-intensification through interactions with upper-level jet streams.

Impacts of extratropical phenomena include heavy precipitation (rain or snow), strong winds, coastal storm surge, and rapid temperature changes. These systems play a central role in heat and moisture transport between equatorial and polar regions, influencing seasonal weather patterns and longer-term climate variability. Forecasting extratropical systems relies on numerical weather prediction models, satellite and radar observations, and understanding of large-scale atmospheric dynamics. In a changing climate, shifts in jet streams and storm tracks may alter the frequency, intensity and distribution of extratropical weather events.