A Mid Latitude cyclone, also known
as an Extratropical Cyclone (meaning not occurring in the tropics)
is 'a cyclonic storm that often develops along a front in the mid and
high latitudes' (Ahrens). Another way to think of them is as a well
developed low pressure system.
Things you should understand about Mid-Latitude Cyclones:
Isobar structure
Isotherm structure
Wind patterns
Precipitation patterns
Satellite view
Life Cycle
Regions of typical development
It is very important to see these storms as having a life cycle
--They are not fixed in time and space; They rotate as they trek
eastward (in our latitudes), almost as if you were holding a pinwheel
and walking along with it. (This is quite apparent on satellite loops )
They usually go through stages where they develop, mature or strengthen
and die out, although it is important to note that not all areas of
low pressure become fully developed Extratropical cyclones.
These figures and discussion are related to the paper which
you will be doing later in the semester. You will be contouring maps
of a system such as this and discussing what you find. The exercise
is designed to get you thinking of these systems as moving in time, and
how their movement affects the areas they pass over.
The following figures are taken
from 'Weather Analysis'by Dusan Djuric, The University of Kansas
Meteorology Lab Manual, and 'Meteorology Today' by C. Donald Ahrens.
Return to Mid-Latitude lesson.
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