Post on 10-Jul-2020
6/2/10
1
An air mass A large region of air with similar
temperature and humidity
throughout.
Air masses are defined by their place of origin
An air mass Humidity
m = maritime (forms over ocean) making
the air humid
c = continental (forming over land)
making air dry
Air masses TEMPERATURE
P = polar (northern) making the air cold
T = tropical (close to equator) making the
air warm
What kind of air mass?
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html
mT = warm and moist
mP = cold and moist
cT = warm and dry
cP= cold and dry
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2
Fronts A front is a dividing line between
two distinct air masses
Front symbols 1. Cold front 2. Warm front 3. Stationary front 4. Occluded front 5 - 8 not fronts
Cold Front
– Causes a quick rising of warm air along the leading edge of the front.
– Causes formation of cumulonimbus clouds and precipitation ahead or during the passing of the cold front.
– Temperatures and dew points fall as a cold front passes
– Have a steeper slope than warm fronts and move quickly.
~ Occurs when cold air moves into warm air ~ 45°
55°
Cold Front ~ Occurs when cold air moves into warm air ~
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Warm fronts ~ Occurs when warm air moves into cold air ~
Warm fronts Gentle, slower, rising of
warm air occurs with a warm front.
Clouds related to a warm front are layered stratus clouds: cirrostratus, altostratus,
Cirrus clouds on the leading edge
Temperatures and dew points rise as a warm front passes
Move more slowly
68°
47°
Stationary fronts
Two fronts, a warm and cold, push against each other and have stopped moving.
Can result in extended periods of precipitation
source: USA TODAY research by Chad Palmer, Graphic by John Herne
Occluded Fronts From when a warm air
mass is centered above two merging cold air masses.
These develop as the faster moving cold air mass catches up to the warm air mass and pushes it up and over the center of the Low pressure cell.