Ch 8: Air Masses, Cyclones, and Severe Weather Overview

Air mass

A large body of air with uniform temperature and moisture.

mT air mass

Warm, moist air mass from tropical regions.

cT air mass

Hot, dry air mass from continental regions.

mP air mass

Cool, moist air mass from polar oceans.

cP air mass

Cold, dry air mass from continental polar regions.

Front

Boundary separating two different air masses.

Cold front

Cold air mass replaces warm air, steep slope.

Warm front

Warm air mass replaces cold air, gentle slope.

Occluded front

Cold front overtakes warm front, complex weather.

Stationary front

Two air masses meet, neither advances.

Midlatitude cyclone

Large-scale low-pressure system in midlatitudes.

Weather changes

Temperature, wind, and precipitation shift with fronts.

Stages of midlatitude cyclone

Development, mature, and occlusion stages.

Comma cloud

Cloud formation resembling a comma, indicates cyclone.

Bomb cyclone

Rapidly intensifying low-pressure system.

Thunderstorm

Localized storm with thunder, lightning, and precipitation.

Stages of thunderstorm

Cumulus, mature, and dissipating stages.

Downdrafts

Descending air in a thunderstorm, causes gust fronts.

Mesocyclone

Rotating updraft in a supercell thunderstorm.

Hook echo

Radar signature indicating potential tornado presence.

Saffir-Simpson scale

Scale categorizing hurricane intensity based on wind speed.

Hurricane formation ingredients

Warm water, moist air, low wind shear, Coriolis effect.