Meterology 1 Flashcards
Define what is an air mass and the 2 principle characteristics
A mass of air in the tropopause with uniform properties of temperature and moisture
Horizontal
Can be really wide
Where does the air mass takes his properties from?
The ground or the water under it
What is the name of an air mass that have been formed over a large body of water?
Maritime air
What is the name of an air mass that have been formed over a large land area?
Continental artic, continental polar, maritime artic, maritime polar, maritime tropical and continental tropicale
Describe continental artic air mass
Very cold, dry, very stable, very low in the tropopause
Describe maritime artic air mass
Cold, moist, unstable in lower levels, low in the tropopause
Describe continental polar air mass
Cold, dry, mostly stable, low in the tropopause
Describe maritime polar air mass
Cool, moist, unstable, medium high in the tropopause
Describe maritime tropical air mass
Warm, moist, very unstable, high in the tropopause
Describe continental tropical air mass
Very hot, dry, very unstable, very high
What are the characteristic of a cold air mass
Unstable, turbulence, good visibility, cumulus clouds, showers-hail-thunderstorm
What are the characteristic of warm air mass?
Stable, smooth air, bad visibility, stratus clouds or fog, drizzle
Define what is a front
The transition between two air mass
How the front is named?
By the coolest of the two air mass
A cold front is….
Advancing
A warm front is……
Retreating
What is an occluded front?
It is when the cold front overtakes a hotter front and push it up
What is a stationary front?
The front dosent advance or retreat
What happen in a warm front?
The cold air is retreating and the warm air move upward over the cold air
In a warm front, what happen if the air is moist and stable?
Stratus clouds will be created, the ceiling gradually falls and there follow a steady rain falling from nimbostratus clouds
In a warm front what happen if the air is moist and unstable?
Cumulonimbus or thunderstorm will be created
Describe a cold front
The cooler air (denser) stay close to the ground and undercuts the warmer air. The warm air rising give place to cumulus clouds wish can creat thunderstorm or even a squall line.
How does a stationary front work?
The two front are equal of pressure so none of them advance or retreat they slide together till they disappear.
How many mass of air do you have in an occlusion?
3 mass of air
What is the name of the warm air wedge in an occlusion ?
Trowal
Define frontogenesis
A front that increase in intensity
Define frontolysis
A front that is decreasing in intensity
