Forecasting the Changing Weather

Air masses and fronts

Air Mass

• A large body of air which has the characteristics of the area it forms over

Air masses are classified by source area:

• C= Continental - dry formed over land• M= Maritime - wet, formed over water• P= Polar – cold, formed in high latitudes• T = Tropical – warm, formed in low latitudes

mP – maritime polarcP – continental polarmT – maritime tropicalcT – continental tropical

Weather Patterns

• Weather patterns are caused by the movement of air masses and what happens when different air masses collide.

• Front– boundary between 2 air masses. They meet but do not mix.

Warm FrontClouds cirrus cirrostratus altostratus nimbostratus

Weather Gentle steady rains occur ahead of the front

Warm Front

Cold FrontClouds altocumulus cumulonimbus

Weather Wind, heavy rains, thunderstorms occur AFTER the front passes

Cold Front

Stationary Front

Clouds Same as warm

front

Weather Rains along the entire front

Air mass stops moving, becomes stalled

Occluded FrontClouds Cumulonimbus

Weather Strong wind, heavy rains, tornadoes

Traveling cyclone

accuweather forecast

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