Station Models/Air Masses and Fronts Flashcards
Which surface features would give an air-mass mT characteristics?
warm, moist surfaces
An air-mass originating over the North Pacific Ocean would most likely be…
Maritime Polar (mP)
The characteristics of air-masses depend chiefly upon…
surface over which the air-mass was formed.
Station Model
Where weather observations usually include data containing weather variables.
On a weather map, an air-mass that is very warm and dry would be labeled…
Continental Tropical (cT)
Isobars
Connects points of equal pressure
Labeled in millibars
Intervals of four if in mb, forty if it’s in code
Isotherms
Connects points of equal temperature
Intervals of 10
Pressure Gradient
Closeness of isobars.
Isobars drawn closely together indicate places having steep pressure gradients and strong winds
Farther apart indicate a slower gradient and slower wind speed
Front
Boundary between two different air masses.
Occur when winds bring air of very different temperatures, humidity and winds
The side on which the half- circles or triangles are placed indicates the direction of frontal movement.
Warm fronts
occur when warm air meets and rises over cold air on the ground.
Cold Fronts
Occur when cold air meets and pushes out warmer air.
According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, an air-mass that originates over the Gulf of Mexico would be labeled on a weather map as…
mT
Cumulonimbus clouds-
associated with violent thunderstorms
Occluded front
When a fast moving cold front takes over a slower moving warm front and takes over the warmer air between the two fronts off the ground.
Stationary fronts
occur when a warm air-mass and a cold air-mass are side-by-side with neither air-mass moving.
An air mass classified as mT usually forms over which type of Earth surface?
warm water
What usually happens to the warm front that is between two frontal surfaces?
The warm air is forced over both frontal interfaces.
Convert 250 to mb..
1025.0 mb
Convert 673 to mb..
967.3 mb
Why is warm air less dense?
The particles are less dense.
Where are clouds formed in cold fronts?
at the front
Where are clouds formed in warm fronts?
ahead of the front
What is warm air called in an occluded front?
aloft
What is 100% cloud cover called?
overcast
