Weather types

Question 1

what is an air mass?

Answer 1

An air mass is a body of air with approximately uniform physical properties (temperature, humidity and stability) over horizontal distances of hundreds of kilometres

Question 2

why should air masses be used with cation

Answer 2

although convenient and well-used the atmosphere does not move around in coherent blocks like this

Question 3

Where does polar continental air come from

Answer 3

scandanavia and russia

Question 4

what weather conditions are associated with polar continental air masses in summer

Answer 4

Warm & dry, cloud free, except perhaps at east coast where cool & showery.

Question 5

what weather conditions are associated with polar continental air masses in winter

Answer 5

Snow near east coast; occasional snow showers in west. Cold easterly winds

Question 6

what weather conditions are associated with polar maritime air masses in winter

Answer 6

Winter: Heavy showers in north-west; clear skies in east at night giving frost. Dry in lee of mountains.

Question 7

what weather conditions are associated with polar maritime air masses in summer

Answer 7

Summer: Heavy showers, thunderstorms over high ground.

Question 8

Where does polar maritime air mass come from

Answer 8

Source: North Canada & Greenland. Very cold but modified by sea track.

Question 9

where does the arctic maritime air mass come from

Answer 9

Source: Arctic seas / ice­cap. Very cold.

Question 10

what weather conditions are associated with arctic maritime air mass in summer

Answer 10

Summer: Cold, frequent heavy showers.

Question 11

what weather conditions are associated with arctic maritime air mass in winter

Answer 11

Winter: Very cold; strong winds from north and north­west. Heavy snow showers, particularly in north and coastal areas. Cold & bright in lake district and South Wales in lee of mountains to north.

Question 12

what weather conditions are associated with tropical maritime air mass in summer

Answer 12

Summer: South­west winds; warm & sunny inland. Low stratus clouds round west coast.

Question 13

what weather conditions are associated with tropical maritime air mass in winter

Answer 13

Winter: Stratus clouds/hill fog/drizzle clearing to the north­east. Warm, muggy, with prolonged rainfall in westerly mountains.

Question 14

where does the tropical maritime air mass come from

Answer 14

Source: warm tropical oceans

Question 15

where does returning polar maritime air come form

Answer 15

Source: North Canada. Very cold and dry but strongly modified by sea track to low latitudes.

Question 16

what weather conditions are associated with returning polar maritime air mass in winter

Answer 16

Winter: stratus cloud, showers over high ground, particularly in west.

Question 17

what weather conditions are associated with returning polar maritime air mass in summer

Answer 17

Summer: Warm, stratus clouds in south­west, squally showers mostly near coast.

Question 18

where does polar continental air come from

Answer 18

north africa

Question 19

what weather conditions are associated with tropical continental air mass in winter

Answer 19

Winter: Cool and dry.

Question 20

what weather conditions are associated with tropical continental air mass in summer

Answer 20

Summer: Heat­wave weather, hazy with occasional thunderstorm.