Weather Patterns Flashcards
4 major types of air masses and America….
Maritime tropical
Maritime polar
Continental tropical
Continental polar
Scientists classify air masses according to _________ and __________.
Temperature and humidity
Maritime air masses form over ______.
Oceans
Continental air masses form over ____________.
Land
Maritime tropical….
Warm, humid air mass
tropical
Maritime polar-
Cool, humid air mass that forms over the icy cold North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans.
Continental tropical-
Hot, dry air mass.
Continental polar-
Forms over Alaska and Canada
Very cold, dry weather.
Polar vortex
When an air mass moves into an area and interacts with other air masses, it _________ __________ ___ ___________.
Causes weather to change.
In the U.S., air masses are commonly moved by the ________ __________ and ____ _________.
Prevailing westerlies and jet streams
Air masses generally move from ____ to _______.
West to east
When 2 air masses collide that have different __________ and humidity, they __ ____ ___ easily.
Temperatures
Do not mix
The boundary where the air masses meet becomes a _______.
Front
Storms and changeable weather often develop along a _______.
Front