"Poleward" refers to the direction towards the Earth's poles, specifically either the North Pole or the South Pole. It means moving closer or heading towards these extreme points on the Earth. Full definition
Without continents, you might not get any western boundary currents, which could alter the balance of poleward heat transport and really affect the general circulation of the atmosphere. (hannahlab.org)
Extratropical cyclones have three stages of expansion: the developing stage, in which an undulating wave develops along the front; the mature stage, in which sinking cold air sweeps equatorward west of the surface low - pressure centre and ascending warm air moves poleward east of the cyclone; and the occluded stage, in which the warm air is entrained within and moved above the polar air and becomes separated from the source region of the tropical air. (britannica.com)
This trend of poleward migration is evident in all ocean basins, except the North Indian Ocean basin, in homogenized satellite and so - called «best track» data. (pacificclimate.org)