Diabatics processes across scales in the extratropics: Workshop summary and research priorities

Most of our fundamental theories for the large-scale atmospheric circulation in the extratropics are based on “dry” atmospheric dynamics. However, our fundamental understanding of the impact of diabatic processes on a range of spatial and temporal scales has significantly improved over the recent decades. This includes the impact of diabatic processes on blocking, Rossby wave propagation and breaking, extratropical and subtropical cyclones, polar lows, jets, and tropical-extratropical interactions among many others. Despite these recent efforts, large uncertainties in representing diabatic processes and their impact remain, leading to upscale error growth and enhanced ensemble spread, highlighting the continued need to further our understanding and to develop new and revise existing paradigms.

Addressing these important research questions requires a large community effort of weather and climate dynamicists, modellers, and observationalists, who can profit from an invigorated mutual exchange. Providing opportunities for these sometimes-disparate research communities to come together is critical for enhancing collaboration and our understanding of how diabatic processes impact various scales and change in a warmer, moister atmosphere. 

Hence, the Diabatics 2026 Workshop was organised 28 April until 1 May 2026, focusing on the impact and implications of different diabatic processes on the dynamic evolution of meso- to planetary-scale weather systems, including cross-scale interactions and geographic linkages.  Contributions from theory, observations, and modelling (including AI) were featured, including implications of resolving and understanding diabatic processes on predictability on all timescales. This presentation summarises key findings from the workshop as well as recommentions of the community on research priorities.