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Fronts & Pressure Systems

Fronts & Pressure Systems. Air mass. 1. Air mass forms as it sits over a large area of land for many days. 2. The air takes on the characteristics of the land or water below it. Characteristics of an Air Mass.

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Fronts & Pressure Systems

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  1. Fronts & Pressure Systems

  2. Air mass • 1. Air mass forms as it sits over a large area of land for many days. • 2. The air takes on the characteristics of the land or water below it.

  3. Characteristics of an Air Mass • Air masses are put into categories consisting of two words. The first word describes how much moisture, and the last word describes temp. • Continental: forms over land, air becomes dry • Maritime: forms over water, air becomes moist • Tropical: forms near equator, air becomes warm • Polar: form far from equator, air becomes cool

  4. Examples of air mass • Where Earth’s surface is cold, the air becomes cold. (polar) • Where Earth’s surface is warm, the air becomes warm. (tropical) • Where Earth’s surface is wet, the air becomes moist. (maritime) • *AS AIR MOVES, IT BRINGS ALONG THE TEMP. AND MOISTURE TO NEW LOCATIONS*

  5. What is my name? • This type of air mass forms over land and near the equator. • This type of air mass forms over water and far away from the equator. • This type of air mass forms over land and far from the equator. • This type of air mass forms over water and near the equator.

  6. FRONTS • When two air masses meet, weather starts to change! • A front is the boundary (space) in between two air masses • Many things can happen when two air masses meet, such as clouds forming, or stormy weather. • Afterward, you experience the temp. and humidity of the air mass that has moved in.

  7. Types of fronts • Cold Front: cold air mass pushes a warm air mass causing the warm air to rise. • As warm air rises it condenses forming tall clouds!

  8. Types of fronts cont… • Warm front: Forms when a warm air mass pushes a cold air mass. Warm air slowly rises over the cold air and the moisture from the warm air condenses into flat clouds. Brings many hours of rain or snow. http://www.mesoscale.iastate.edu/agron206/animations/05_cnWfronts.html

  9. Types of fronts cont… • Stationary front: occurs when two air masses push against each other without moving. Can become either a warm or cold front depending on which air mass moves first.

  10. Pressure systems • High pressure system- air sinks and spreads out. The spreading air moves slowly clockwise. • Low pressure system- air circles into a low pressure center and moves upward. The motion is counterclockwise and can be very quick.

  11. Pressure system cont.. • High pressure system: clear skies and calm air because as air sinks to lower altitudes it warms up a bit. Water droplets evaporate so clouds disappear. • Low pressure system: Air moves up lowering the pressure. The rising air produces stormy weather. This usually happens in between a warm air mass and a cold air mass.

  12. WEATHER MAP

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