Air masses and fronts Flashcards
Define dew point.
. Dew point is the temperature at which the air is saturated (100 percent relative humidity). It is dependent on only the amount of moisture in the air.
Define relative humidity.
Relative humidity is the percent of saturation at a given temperature; it depends on moisture content and temperature.
Relationship between dewpoint and humidity
Only dewpoint gives the absolute value of moisture in the air. Relative humidity is determined by how close the air temperature is to the dew point temperature.
Air moves from blank to blank
hot to cold
Names of air masses.
arctic, tropical, polar and maritime
Describe arctic air mass.
The qualities of arctic air are developed over ice and snow-covered ground. Arctic air is deeply cold, colder than polar air masses
Describe polar air mass
cold temperatures and little moisture.
Describe tropical air mass.
Warm temperatures and moist air.
Describe maritime air mass.
check these with your teacher.
What are four main types of weather fronts?
cold fronts, warm fronts, occluded fronts and stationary fronts
What happens at a warm front?
warm air displaces cold air.
What happens at a cold front?
Cold air displaces warm air.
What is the definition of a stationary front?
A stationary front is air of different temperatures that are alongside each other, and not moving relative to each other.
Describe an occluded front.
an occluded front is about to form you have cold air behind, warm air in the middle, and cooler air ahead. The air ahead may be colder than the air at the back, or may be warmer. But it’s always a cold-warm-cold sandwich.
What weather is found at a cold front?
Thunderheads can form as the moisture in the warm air mass rises, cools, and condenses. As the front moves through, cool, fair weather is likely to follow.
