10b Air Mass and Fronts Notes
Air Masses and Fronts
- An air mass is a large volume if air with the same temperature and moisture content.
- When an air mass forms it takes on the characteristics of the area over which it develops.
- air mass in tropical latitudes = warm temperature
- air mass in polar regions = cool temperature
- if originates over the ocean has more moisture than one developed over land
- extend over large areas of land and water and form in about a week
- can classified based on area of origination and moisture.
1. Continental Polar Air Mass: It would be very cold, and dry.
Maritime Tropical Air Mass: War and moist
Arctic Air Mass: Very cold and Dry
Fronts
A boundry between 2 differnet air masses a Earth's surface.
Develop when air masses of differnet temperatures and humidity collide.
There are four types if fronts but most are classified as warm or cold.
Cold Fronts
A cold front seperates faster-moving cold air, which pushes up from warmer air.
Rain usually occurs with a cold front.
if major differnece in temperatures between the air masses then violent weather will occur.
temp. and humidity decreases after cold front passes.
Maritime Tropical Air Mass: War and moist
Arctic Air Mass: Very cold and Dry
Fronts
A boundry between 2 differnet air masses a Earth's surface.
Develop when air masses of differnet temperatures and humidity collide.
There are four types if fronts but most are classified as warm or cold.
Cold Fronts
A cold front seperates faster-moving cold air, which pushes up from warmer air.
Rain usually occurs with a cold front.
if major differnece in temperatures between the air masses then violent weather will occur.
temp. and humidity decreases after cold front passes.
Warm Front
Occurs when slower-moving warm mair replaces retreating cooler air. The warm air gradually rides over the cooler air. This produuces light rain. Wrmer temps. and higher humidity occur after a warm front.
Occurs when slower-moving warm mair replaces retreating cooler air. The warm air gradually rides over the cooler air. This produuces light rain. Wrmer temps. and higher humidity occur after a warm front.
Stationary and Occluded Fronts
- If air masses are not moving, a stationary front forms.
- this front forms a boundary between nonmoving cold air masses and warm air masses.
- occluded fronts occur when a warm font is overtaken by a cold front.
- by making observations about events that come before and after these fronts, meteorologists notice patterns and make predictions about future weather events.