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METEOROLOGY. Chapter 5 Objective 5-4. Objective. Objective 5-4 Describe different fronts and the associated cloud types and precipitation. Air Masses. An air mass is a large body of air that takes on the characteristics of the surface over which it forms.
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METEOROLOGY Chapter 5 Objective 5-4
Objective • Objective 5-4 • Describe different fronts and the associated cloud types and precipitation.
Air Masses • An air mass is a large body of air that takes on the characteristics of the surface over which it forms. • An air mass extends over hundreds to thousands of kilometers. • The temperature and humidity within an air mass vary little in the horizontal.
Classification of Air Masses • Air masses are classified according to their source region: • Maritime or Continental • Polar or Tropical • Arctic
Types of Air Masses http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html
Fronts • The boundary between two different air masses is called a front. • There are several different types of fronts: • Cold Front: cooler air is moving in replacing warmer air. • Warm Front: warm is is moving in replacing cooler air. (continued…)
Fronts • Stationary Front: Two air masses are sitting still with very little movement of one replacing the other. • Occluded Front: A cold front has over-taken a warm front forcing warm air up above two cooler air masses.
Cold Front http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~samw/projects/ay249/0_meteorology/coldfront.jpg
Warm Front http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~samw/projects/ay249/0_meteorology/warmfront.jpg
Occluded Front http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html
Weather Map Symbols http://www.freewebs.com/wonderfulweather/fronts.htm
Weather Maps http://www.atmos.millersville.edu/~lead/Fronts_Module.htm