extratropical cyclone

[ ek-struh-trop-i-kuhl sahy-klohn ]

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.

extratropical cyclone

/ ĕk′strə-trŏp′ĭ-kəl /

1. See under cyclone

Word History and Origins

Origin of extratropical cyclone¹

First recorded in 1920–25; extra- + tropical