Air Masses

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Air Masses

• What is an air mass?

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Air Mass

• An air mass is a large volume of air defined by
  its temperature and water vapor content.
• The weather characteristics are determined by the
  geographical origin (Birth place) of the air
  mass.

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Humidity- First Name

• Air masses that form over the ocean are called
  maritime air masses.
• They are MOIST (MaritimeMoist)
• Air masses that form over the land are called
  continental air masses
• They are dry (Continentalcontinent/land)

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Temperature- Last Name

• Air Masses that form near the Poles are known as
  polar air masses.
• They are cold (Think Polar Bears!)
• Air Masses that form near the tropics are known
  as tropical air masses.
• Tropical air is warm (Think tropical vacation!)
• Air Masses that form at the North Pole are known
  as an arctic air mass.
• (Arctic air is FREEZING)

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The name of an air mass has TWO PARTS

• The first part (first name) tells us either
  maritime or continental. (humidity)
• The second part (last name) tells us tropical or
  arctic, polar. (temperature)

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Air Mass

• First Name
• Maritime (ocean)
• Continental (land)

• Last Name
• Arctic (freezing)
• Polar (cold)
• Tropical (warm)

http//video.about.com/weather/Types-of-Air-Masses
.htm
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Key Terms

• Air mass- large area of air has the same temp and
  humidity (amount of moisture)
• Continental air mass- Air mass over land
• Maritime air mass- air mass over oceans
• Polar air mass- air mass over cold regions
• Tropical air mass- air mass over warm regions
• Arctic air mass- air mass over the Poles

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What type of an air mass would it be if

• It started on land and near the North Pole?
• It started near the equator in Mexico?
• It started in Florida?
• It started over the Atlantic Ocean in the North
  east?
• It started near the South Pole over Antarctica?
• Can you make up a What type question????

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http//usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wamsorce
/wamsorce.htm