Meteorologists and insurers explore extratropical transition of tropical cyclones

Most tropical cyclones weaken as they come ashore or track poleward over colder ocean water. Yet some tropical cyclones go through a number of changes that may cause them to remain a threat after landfall or as they move poleward from the tropics. The acceleration or reintensification of these storms is associated with their transition from a tropical cyclone to a system with characteristics more common to midlatitude, extratropical storms. This “extratropical transition” (ET) is a complex and highly variable process that is currently poorly understood.