3.4 Apex Earth Science

Explore the characteristics of different types of air masses

cT: warm, dry cP: cool, dry mT: warm, humid/wet mP: cool, wet

Characteristics of a cold front

Cold front: transition zone where a cold air mass replaces a warm air mass; the cold air sinks beneath the warm air. Areas of high pressure, called Highs, have air that sinks. Cold air produces clear skies and fair weather.

Characteristics of a warm front

transition zone where a warm air mass replaces a cold air mass. Areas of low pressure, called Lows, have warm air that rises. Can cause clouds to form, rain to fall, and storms to occur/

Describe how clouds form

forms when warm, humid air rises and cools to its dew point(the temperature at which condensation begins). Water vapor in the air condenses into liquid droplets or ice crystals and becomes visible

Cirrus

means wispy or curly clouds. Made of ice crystals form in the higher levels of the atmosphere

Alto

middle or not highest

Stratus

low to medium clouds stretched out in layers. Uniform gray clouds. composed mostly of water associated with rain or snow

Cumulus

lump or heap. Form below 6,000 looks lumpy

Nimbus

rain, most precipitation happens

What causes thunderstorms

Lightning happens when electric charges flow from clouds to the ground.

What causesThunder

When air molecules cool and contract after a lightning strike, it creates a noise called thunder.

What causes a tornado

Tornadoes form when wind shear causes a horizontal column of air to form. This column starts spinning and becomes vertical as one side is pushed down. The spinning column then joins a cloud, forming a funnel cloud. When the funnel cloud touches the ground, it's called a tornado.

What causes a hurricane

A hurricane forms when winds from different directions pass through a collection of thunderstorms that has formed over warm water. This warm water fuels the hurricane. Hurricanes pass through the following phases before they are strong enough to be classified as hurricanes: tropical disturbance, then tropical depression, then tropical storm.

What categorizes Tornados

Tornadoes are classified on the Fujita Scale by wind speed and amount of damage they cause.

What are hurricanes classified by

Hurricanes are classified with the Saffir-Simpson Scale

Blizzards

Blizzards are winter storms that bring low temperatures, high winds, heavy snow, and poor visibility.

occluded front

A front that occurs when warm air is overtaken by a cold front. occurs at the end of a storm

Stationary front

When the battle between the cold and warm air masses results in a standoff or tie.

wind shear

a sudden change in wind speed, wind direction, or both over a short distance. I

updrafts

a rising current of air or gas

thermometer

A thermometer measures temperature by using glass tube with a liquid, usually mercury

barometer

Barometers are used to measure air pressure. Decreasing air pressure usually indicates bad weather is on the way.

hygrometer

A hygrometer uses hair to measure humidity

psychrometer

uses two thermometers to measure humidity.

wind vane

shows wind direction

anemometer

measures winds speed

rain gauge

the amount of rainfall by using a glass tube that collects rainwater.

Doppler radar

uses waves to predict the speed of an oncoming storm.

Satellites

orbit Earth, taking pictures of weather-related objects and events, like clouds and hurricanes.

Isobars

lines on a weather map that connect areas with the same air pressure. By having a few circles of isobars, each one encircling the previous ones that are closer to the center, weather maps show areas of increasing or decreasing air pressure.

isotherms

lines on a weather map that connect areas with the same temperature. By having a few circles of isotherms, each one encircling the previous ones that are closer to the center, weather maps show areas of increasing or decreasing temperature.