Air Masses
Analysis Questions
A continental polar air mass has very cold temperatures. It also has DRY air (no moisture)
A maritime air mass's temperature and humidity depends on the direction it is coming from. If it is coming from the equator, the temperatures will be warm and the air will be moist and will be called a maritime tropical air mass.
An arctic air mass has extremely cold temperatures because it formed over the Arctic and it has extremely dry air.
According to the map and diagram that we made, our answers above are correct. The continental polar air mass is cold and it comes from the north. The maritime tropical air mass is warm and is coming from the equator. The arctic air mass has extremely cold temperatures and is near the Arctic.
- an air mass is a large volume of air with the same temperature and moisture content
- as an air mass forms it takes on the characteristics of the area over which it develops (polar latitudes=cool temperature, tropical latitudes=warm temperature, if it originates around the ocean , it will have more moisture than air masses developing over land)
- air masses can be classified based on the area of origination and moisture
Fronts - a front is a boundary between two different air masses at Earth's surface
- fronts develop when air masses of different temperatures and humidity collide.
A cold front is the boundary along the leading edge of a cold air mass that is pushing out a warm air mass. As the cold front nears your region, the barometer falls. The cold air behind the front wedges under the warm air and lifts it sharply off the ground. Large cumulonimbus clouds appear. These clouds often bring thunderstorms and rain showers. As the cold front passes, the wind changes direction. The weather becomes clear and colder and the barometer rises again.
A warm front is the boundary along a warm air mass that is pushing out a cold air mass. The warm air behind the front glides up and over the cold air. As a warm front approaches, high cirrus clouds appear. These are followed by stratus and nimbostratus clouds. The barometer falls and a long, steady rain begins. Gradually, the front passes and the sky clears. Temperature rises as warm air replaces cold air, and the barometer stops falling.- A stationary front forms when two air masses remain over a region for several days. The front formed does not move.
An occluded front forms when a cold front overtakes a slower-moving warm front. The occluded front is more complicated than the others because two fronts interact. In the left diagram, colder air is wedging under warm air at the cold front. Warm air is gliding up and over another cold air mass at the warm front. The result of what is happening in the left diagram is seen in the right diagram. The arm air squeezed out and lifted above the ground. Steady rains falls at an occluded front.- "CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS." CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/genmet/fronts/classification_of_fronts.html>.
Analysis Questions
A continental polar air mass has very cold temperatures. It also has DRY air (no moisture)
A maritime air mass's temperature and humidity depends on the direction it is coming from. If it is coming from the equator, the temperatures will be warm and the air will be moist and will be called a maritime tropical air mass.
An arctic air mass has extremely cold temperatures because it formed over the Arctic and it has extremely dry air.
According to the map and diagram that we made, our answers above are correct. The continental polar air mass is cold and it comes from the north. The maritime tropical air mass is warm and is coming from the equator. The arctic air mass has extremely cold temperatures and is near the Arctic.
Cold Front
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/9/2/13924415/9326338.gif?0)
cold front
Warm Front
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/9/2/13924415/4889437.gif?0)
"CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS." CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/genmet/fronts/classification_of_fronts.html>.
Occluded Front
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/9/2/13924415/8102398.gif?0)
Both of these show the cycle of occluded fronts
"CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS." CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/genmet/fronts/classification_of_fronts.html>.
"CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS." CLASSIFICATION OF FRONTS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/genmet/fronts/classification_of_fronts.html>.
Stationary Front
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/9/2/13924415/2552969.jpg?1)
"All About Thunderstorms, Part 1." ». N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. <http://www.stormygrove.com/ss/gt/w101/thunderstorms1/>.