TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

POLAR MESO-CYCLONE [1 record]

Record 1 1992-12-31

English

Subject field(s)
  • Atmospheric, Climatic and Meteorological Phenomena
DEF

Small, shallow depression which forms mainly in winter over some high-latitude seas within a polar or arctic air mass.

CONT

When arctic-origin air in winter flows southward (northward in the southern hemisphere) across (relatively) warmer seas, strong surface heating acts both to enhance the degree of instability, and trigger vigorous moist convective towers. This is sufficient alone to give rise to heavy, wintry showers/cumulonimbus clusters etc., but often marked troughing, or even a closed circulation in the isobaric flow is found; the resultant low-level convergence/positive vorticity enhancement, plus the localised concentration of the latent heat energy released, enhances development within the system, and an intense (but synoptically small) area of rain, hail, sleet or snow & squally winds can result - a polar low (or polar depression or polar meso-cyclone in some texts).

CONT

What is a polar low? Part of a diverse group of mesoscale weather systems (polar meso-cyclones). ... [There is] three types of polar meso-cyclones: -jet streak type, -arctic front type, -cold low type.

OBS

Polar mesocyclones: a term now used to encompass the whole 'family' of disturbances resulting from arctic air flowing equatorward over progressively warmer seas; the term 'polar low' is now often used only for 'extreme' systems where gale or near gale-force winds are observed.

OBS

Its motion is approximately the same as the air stream in which it is embedded.

Key term(s)
  • polar meso cyclone

French

Domaine(s)
  • Phénomènes météorologiques, climatiques et atmosphériques
DEF

Petite dépression peu profonde qui se forme principalement en hiver dans une masse d'air polaire ou arctique située sur certaines mers des hautes latitudes.

OBS

Son mouvement est approximativement le même que celui du courant atmosphérique dans lequel elle se situe.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Fenómenos meteorológicos, climáticos y atmosféricos
DEF

Depresión pequeña y poco profunda que se forma dentro de una masa de aire polar o ártico, especialmente en invierno, sobre los mares polares.

OBS

Se mueve siguiendo, aproximadamente, la dirección de la corriente de aire en que está inserta.

Save record 1

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: