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Description of a Cold Front. Description of a Cold Front. A cold front is formed when a mass of cold/cooler air runs into a mass of slower moving or stationary warm air. Since cold air is more dense than warm air, the warm air is forced to rise up and over the cold front.
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Description of a Cold Front A cold front is formed when a mass of cold/cooler air runs into a mass of slower moving or stationary warm air. Since cold air is more dense than warm air, the warm air is forced to rise up and over the cold front.
Description of a Cold Front Another result of the cold air being denser than the warm air that the cold front is steeper – nearly vertical – than a warm front. Because the warm, moist/wet air is forced to rise rapidly, the clouds that are formed are often cumulonimbus (thick/towering).
Description of a Cold Front Cold fronts can move slowly, but they can also move quickly – up to 100 km/hr. Thus the rain can last a long time or it can be over quickly. The sudden change of temperature with a passing cold front can lead to intense winds, as well.
Description of a Cold Front If the cold front is very different in temperature from the warmer air, tornadoes and even thunderstorms can be formed.