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Air Masses

Air Masses. What is an air mass?. 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. Humidity- First Name.

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Air Masses

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  1. Air Masses What is an air mass?

  2. 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.

  3. Humidity- First Name • Air masses that form over the ocean are called maritime air masses. • They are MOIST (Maritime=Moist) • Air masses that form over the land are called continental air masses • They are dry (Continental=continent/land)

  4. 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)

  5. 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)

  6. First Name Maritime (ocean) Continental (land) Last Name Arctic (freezing) Polar (cold) Tropical (warm) Air Mass http://video.about.com/weather/Types-of-Air-Masses.htm

  7. 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

  8. 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”????

  9. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wamsorce/wamsorce.htmhttp://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wamsorce/wamsorce.htm

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