Air Masses and Storms Flashcards
What air mass forms over high latitude oceans?
Maritime polar
What air mass forms over low latitude oceans?
Maritime tropical
What air mass forms over high latitude land?
Continental polar
What air mass forms over low latitude land?
Continental tropical
What air mass contains warm, moist air?
Maritime tropical
What air mass contains hot, dry air?
Continental tropical
What air mass contains cold, dry air?
Continental polar
What air mass contains cool, moist air?
Maritime polar
Air masses are characterized by what two characteristics?
moisture and temperature
What is an air mass?
A large parcel of air that takes on the characteristics of the surface over which it forms.
Which air mass likely forms over the northern Pacific ocean?
Maritime polar
Which air mass likely forms over the Gulf of Mexico?
Maritime tropical
Which air mass likely forms over Canada?
Continental polar
What forms when two air masses collide?
A front
Which type of front forms when a cold air mass moves into and under a warm air mass?
A cold front
Which type of front forms when a warm air mass moves into and over a cold air mass?
A warm front
Which type of front forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front?
An occluded front
Which type of front forms when one air mass does not have enough energy to push another air mass out of an area?
A stationary front
What is a polar front?
A condition when cold polar air meets warm tropical air.
What can form at a low pressure area?
A frontal cyclone. (Also called a mid-latitude cyclone)
What can form at a high pressure area?
An anticyclone
Frontal cyclones usually produce what type of weather?
Clouds and storms