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.

In this session we will report back on discussions and proposals from a workshop on diabatic processes (https://diabatics2026.w.uib.no) held before EGU2026, which aims to set out future research directions and priorities for the community in this field. We additionally invite contributions that aim to address our understanding of the role of diabatic processes in the extratropical weather system dynamics and their predictability, involving theory, model simulation, field campaigns; and the role diabatic processes will play in shaping extratropical weather systems in a changing climate.