Summary

South America (SA) is affected by different types of synoptic-scale cyclones (i.e., extratropical, subtropical, and tropical cyclones), which impact both the western and eastern coasts of the continent. These cyclone types are primarily distinguished by their thermal characteristics. Extratropical cyclones exhibit a cold core, where the temperature decreases with height, while tropical cyclones have a warm core that extends throughout the entire troposphere, generally becoming warmer at the mid-to-upper levels due to the intense latent heat release from condensation. Subtropical cyclones, however, have a warm core near the surface, similar to tropical cyclones, but feature a cold core at the mid-to-upper levels, similar to extratropical cyclones. To understand the evolution of knowledge about cyclones in SA and its surroundings, it is important to consider the historical background of advances in meteorological computation and the generation of long-term global analyses and reanalyses. This history begins with the first visual climatologies produced in the 1960s and extends to the use of diverse automated tracking algorithms and modern reanalyses in the 2000s.

On the eastern side of SA and in the western part of the South Atlantic Ocean, there are three main cyclogenetic regions: (a) the south-southeastern coast of Brazil, (b) the extreme south of Brazil and Uruguay, and (c) the southeastern coast of Argentina. On the western side of SA, particularly south of 35°S, the continent is more affected by extratropical cyclones. Northward of this latitude, a distinct type of cyclones known as coastal lows (stationary nature) predominates.

These diverse types of cyclones are often associated with strong winds and heavy precipitation and play a significant role on the climate of SA. Therefore, studies focusing on climate projections of how cyclones would develop in a future warmer climate are crucial for providing useful information to decision-makers.