Air Masses and Fronts

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Air Masses and Fronts

• Meteorology

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Air Masses

• Classified by temperature and humidity
• Tropical Warm, form in tropics, low pressure
• Polar cold, form near poles, high pressure
• Maritime form over oceans, humid
• Continental form over land, dry

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Fronts

• Colliding air masses

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Cold fronts

• Cold air undercuts warm air. Front moves
  quickly. If the warmer air mass contains enough
  moisture, possible storms, clouds, rain
  (vertically developing clouds) followed by clear,
  cool weather.

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Warm fronts

• Warm air over-rides cool air. Front moves
  slowly. If the warmer air mass contains enough
  moisture, clouds (stratus) and rain may occur for
  several days followed by warmer, more humid
  weather.

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Stationary Fronts

• Neither air mass has enough force to move the
  other. Weather depends on moisture content of
  air masses.

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Occluded Fronts

• Most complex front. Involves three air masses
  cool, cold, warm.

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