baroclinic model
From Glossary of Meteorology
An atmospheric model that, in addition to the advection of the circulation field, includes thermal advection processes, an explicit representation of the thermodynamic energy equation, and at least two vertical data levels.
The inclusion of thermal advection processes, and in particular differential thermal advection between vertical levels, is essential to predict the development of new weather systems. Baroclinic models are the standard models used for making numerical weather forecasts by operational forecast centers.
