Mid-latitude or frontal cyclones are large traveling atmospheric cyclonic storms up to 2000 kilometers in

diameter with centers of low atmospheric pressure. An intense mid-latitude cyclone may have a surface
pressure as low as 970 millibars, compared to an average sea-level pressure of 1013 millibars. Normally,
individual frontal cyclones exist for about 3 to 10 days moving in a generally west to east direction. Frontal
cyclones are the dominant weather event of the Earth's mid-latitudes forming along the polar front.
(Figure 7s-1).

Figure 7s-1: A series of mid-latitude cyclones forming along the polar

front (black line with red half circle and blue triangle symbols). On the
illustration, the low pressure center of the mid-latitude cyclones is identfied by
a red L. The systems located along the west and east coast of North America
are in the middle stage of their life. The mid-latitude cyclone east of Greenland
is at the end of its life cycle. In their mature stage, mid-latitude cyclones have a
warm front on the east side of the storm's center and a cold front to the west.
The cold front travels faster than the warm front. Near the end of the storm's
life the cold front catches up to the warm front causing a condition known
as occlusion.

Mid-latitude cyclones are the result of the dynamic interaction of warm tropical and cold polar air
masses at the polar front. This interaction causes the warm air to be cyclonically lifted vertically into the
atmosphere where it combines with colder upper atmosphere air. This process also helps to transport
excess energy from the lower latitudes to the higher latitudes.

The mid-latitude cyclone is rarely motionless and commonly travels about 1200 kilometers in one day. Its
direction of movement is generally eastward (Figure 7s-2). Precise movement of this weather system is
controlled by the orientation of the polar jet stream in the upper troposphere. An estimate of future
movement of the mid-latitude cyclone can be determined by the winds directly behind the cold front. If
the winds are 70 kilometers per hour, the cyclone can be projected to continue its movement along the
ground surface at this velocity.

Figure 7s-2: Typical paths of mid-latitude cyclones are represented by black

arrows. This image also shows the typical paths travelled by
subtropical hurricanes (green arrows).

Figure 7s-3 describes the patterns of wind flow, surface pressure, fronts, and zones of precipitation
associated with a mid-latitude cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere. Around the low, winds blow counter
clockwise and inwards (clockwise and inward in the Southern Hemisphere). West of the low, cold air
traveling from the north and northwest creates a cold front extending from the cyclone's centre to the
southwest. Southeast of the low, northward moving warm air from the subtropics produces a warm
front. Precipitation is located at the center of the low and along the fronts where air is being uplifted.

Mid-latitude cyclones can produce a wide variety of precipitation types. Precipitation types
include: rain, freezing rain, hail, sleet, snow pellets, and snow. Frozen forms of precipitation (except hail)
are common with storms that occur in the winter months. Hail is associated with severe thunderstorms
that form along or in front of cold fronts during spring and summer months.

Figure 7s-3: Fronts, winds patterns, pressure patterns, and precipitation

distribution found in an idealized mature mid-latitude cyclone.

Figure 7s-4 describes a vertical cross-section through a mature mid-latitude cyclone. In this cross-section,
we can see how air temperature changes as we move from behind the cold front to a position ahead of
the warm front. Behind the surface position of the cold front, forward moving cold dense air causes the
uplift of the warm lighter air in advance of the front. Because this uplift is relatively rapid along a steep
frontal gradient, the condensed water vapor quickly organizes itself into cumulus and
then cumulonimbus clouds. Cumulonimbus clouds produce heavy precipitation and can develop
into severe thunderstorms if conditions are right (see section 7t). Along the gently sloping warm front,
the lifting of moist air produces first nimbostratus clouds followed by altostratus and cirrostratus.
Precipitation is less intense along this front, varying from moderate to light showers some distance ahead
of the surface location of the warm front.

Figure 7s-4: Vertical cross-section of the line A-B in Figure 7s-3.

Frontal cyclone development is related to polar jet stream processes. Within the jet stream, localized
areas of air outflow can occur because of upper air divergence. Outflow results in the development of an
upper air vacuum. To compensate for the vacuum in the upper atmosphere, surface air flows cyclonically
upward into the outflow to replenish lost mass. The process stops and the mid-latitude cyclone dissipates
when the upper air vacuum is filled with surface air.

Mid-latitude cyclones cause far less damage than tropical cyclones or hurricanes. Hurricanes involve
much greater amounts of atmospheric energy exchange. As one goes away from the equator, the energy
available to fuel a weather system decreases as the amount of solar radiation and heat declines. Mid-
latitude cyclones can have winds as strong as what is associated with a weak hurricane. But, this is a rare
occurrence. Frontal cyclones tend to be most disruptive to human activity during winter months