Air Masses And Fronts

Question 1

What is a air mass?

Answer 1

*large body of air that take on characteristics of surrounding air.

Question 2

What is a front?

Answer 2

• as air masses move in eventually comes into contact with another with different characteristics.
• the boundary layer between the two air masses is known as a front
• always mean a change in weather

Question 3

Warm front

Answer 3

• move slowly 10-25 mph
• the front slides over top of the cool air mass, and gradually pushes it down out of the air
• weather to expect: light to moderate precipitation, poor visibility, improves with variable winds but hazy conditions may continue.

Question 4

Cold front

Answer 4

• Move faster than warm fronts- 25 to 30 mph and up to 60 mph.
• its so dense it stays close to the ground, acts as a snow plow and forces less dense (warmer air) up.
• weather: clouds with towering cumulus clouds (vertical movement), cumulonimbus clouds may develop, heavy rain with thunder, lightning, and hail, poor visibility, winds variable and gusty

Question 5

Stationary front

Answer 5

• Forms when a cold front or a warm front stops moving.
• when air masses are pushing each other but near there is powerful enough to move the other.
• weather to expect is a mixture of warm and cold front weather

Question 6

Occluded front

Answer 6

• when a fast moving cold front catches with a slow moving warm front, and a cold front in front of the warm front as well.
• the two cold fronts come together and push up the warm front in the middle
• weather to expect: cumulonimbus clouds, towering cumulus, light to heavy precipitation, poor visibility, winds variable.