What are the differences between an extratropical and tropical system?
As mentioned before an extratropical system is one that is also called an Mid-Atlantic cyclone. It is also a cold core system meaning it has cold air in the area of lowest pressure. In addition, extratropical storms are tilted systems which is because low pressure at different levels are not stacked right on top of each other until they fully mature. These systems also have wind shear with wind blowing in opposite directions with height. These systems are often described as baroclinic in nature. Meanwhile, tropical systems are warm core systems that have warm air in the area of lowest pressure, vertically stacked with the low pressures at the surface, mid, and upper levels in sync, and they don’t like wind shear. These systems are often described as barotropic in nature.
