Air Masses and Weather Fronts http www inkcinct

Air Masses and Weather Fronts http: //www. inkcinct. com. au/Web/CARTOONS/2006 -694 -Weather-front-title-fight. jpg

Air Masses �Air mass – large body of air that takes on the characteristics of the area of which it forms (source region) �Over land – drier �Over water – more humid �Also takes on temperature of source region http: //blogs. redding. com/redding/smobley/archives/3 -24 -08 -today-gfsx_500 p_24 h. gif

Air Masses - Origins �What do you think Air Mass #1 would be like in April? Cold/Warm? Moist/Dry? Why? �What do you think Air Mass #2 would be like in April? Why? http: //www. kidsgeo. com/images/air-masses. jpg

Air Masses - Origins �Maritime tropical (m. T) �warm and humid �Continental tropical (c. T) �warm and dry �Maritime polar (m. P) �cold and humid �Continental polar (c. P) �cold and dry �Arctic (A) �even colder!

Air masses don’t just affect the US!! http: //www. geography. learnontheinternet. co. uk/images/weather/air_masses. gif

Worksheet – Transparency 18 Answer questions on the back

Weather Fronts �Form where two air masses with different characteristics collide �Four types �Cold �Warm �Occluded �Stationary http: //www. bynon. cc/blog/fronts. jpg http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/earth/Atmosphere/images/front_superior_epa_lg. jpg

Cold Front �Cold air moves in on existing warm air (blue triangles) �Rapidly rising warm air cools, condenses � Thunderstorms common http: //www. physicalgeography. net/fundamentals/7 r. html

Cold Front http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/tour/link=/earth/Atmosphere/images/cold-front_lg_gif_image. html&edu=high

Warm Front �Warm air invades area of cool air (red circles) �Warm air rises over cool air cools, condenses �Rain common http: //www. physicalgeography. net/fundamentals/7 r. html

Warm Front http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/earth/Atmosphere/images/warm-front_lg. gif

Cold Front vs. Warm Front View Animation

Occluded Front �Warm air gets trapped between two cold fronts (red circles and blue triangles/purple circles and triangles) �Warm air forced up cools, condenses �Complex weather, rain/snow, thunderstorms http: //www. physicalgeography. net/fundamentals/7 r. html

Occluded Front http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/tour/link=/earth/Atmosphere/images/occluded_lg_gif_image. html&edu=high

Stationary Front �No mixing (blue triangles and red circles) �Air masses push against each other, but neither moves �Parallel winds �Hard to predict weather http: //www. windows. ucar. edu/earth/Atmosphere/images/stationary_sm. gif

Weather fronts from Monday

Worksheet – Transparency 19 Fill out the questions on the back. Color the front if it helps you.