extratropical cyclone

American  

[ek-struh-trop-i-kuhl sahy-klohn] / ˈɛk strəˈtrɒp ɪ kəl ˈsaɪ kloʊn /

noun

Meteorology.

1. a cold-core storm system occurring over land or water and energized by the interaction of cold and warm air masses: the common frontal cyclones that produce much of the precipitation of the middle latitudes are examples of extratropical cyclones, as are blizzards and nor’easters.

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extratropical cyclone Scientific  

/ ĕk′strə-trŏp′ĭ-kəl /

1. See under cyclone

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Etymology

Origin of extratropical cyclone

First recorded in 1920–25; extra- + tropical

Example Sentences

Melissa is not expected to make landfall in North America, but will still be a formidable extratropical cyclone when it nears St Johns, Newfoundland, in Canada on Friday night.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025

Rio Grande do Sul was hit by another extratropical cyclone in June, which killed 16 people and caused destruction in 40 cities, many of those around Porto Alegre.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 6, 2023

An extratropical cyclone has been battering southern Brazil, flooding homes, swelling rivers and claiming the lives of nearly two dozen people, state authorities said on Tuesday.

From Reuters • Sep. 6, 2023

He said about 60 cities had been battered by the storm, which was classified as an extratropical cyclone.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 5, 2023

As Ida morphs into an extratropical cyclone, more unstable and humid air is expected to surge over the Mid-Atlantic, enabling the development of heavy showers and thunderstorms.

From Washington Post • Aug. 30, 2021