Frontal Systems Flashcards
The boarder between air masses tends to fluctuate and move in a totally different unpredictable fashion.
True or falsely
True.
The transition layer between air masses is know as?
Fronts
How is a front indicated on a chart?
As a line
What are the main frontal zone?
Polar front
Arctic front
Mediterranean
Intertropical
How is a warm sector depression form?
Starts with a tongue of warm air overriding cold air which causes a drop in barometric pressure.
What is the associated weather with a warm sector depression?
Warm front
Warm sector
Cold front
List some of the characteristics of a warm front
- 1:100 slope
- Cirrus(Ci)/Cirrostratus(Cs) and Altostratus (As)
- Lowering cloud bases
- moves at 2/3 of geostrophic wind speed.
What happens as a warm front approaches?
Pressure falls W/v backs n increases Temperature rises Cloud lowers Rain starts
What happens as a warm front passes
Pressure remains level W/V veers n decreases Temperature n dew point increase NS -RA Poor vis
What happens as a warm sector recedes
Pressure remains level Light wind Temp n dew point level Little/ no precipitation BKN/fog Low stratus
What are some facts about a cold front?
1:50 slope
Speed of geostrophic wind
Towering cloud
Cumulus cloud
What happens when a cold front approaches
Pressure decreases
W/V increases
Temp/DP stable
Precipitation increases
What happens as a cold front passed?
Pressure increases
W/v Veers n increase
Temp/DP decrease
+RA/TS
What happens when a cold front recedes?
Pressure increase
W/V steady
Temp/DP steady
CU/SHRA
What are squalls?
Separate individual heavy showers along the line of the front with strong, turbulent winds
