The impact of extratropical diabatic heating due to latent heat release on climate

Projections of climate change due to increased greenhouse gases predict significant warming of the polar regions. This change in polar temperatures has been primarily attributed to ice-albedo feedbacks. However, in this research we demonstrate that significant changes in polar temperatures may also result from feedbacks between latent heat release in extratropical cyclones and dynamical transports in mid-latitudes. At this time, there is no clear understanding of the role these feedbacks play in the climate response to increased greenhouse gases. In this research we explore the hypothesis that in a warmer climate latent heat release will significantly contribute to the warming of the polar regions through increased dynamical heat transports.