Air Masses and Changing Weather Study Notes

Lesson 6 - Air Masses and Changing Weather Study Notes

Vocabulary Definitions

• Air Mass

  • A huge volume of air that has a uniform temperature and humidity at a given altitude.

• Warm Front

  • A weather front in which a warm air mass advances to replace a cold air mass.

• Cold Front

  • A weather front in which a cold air mass advances to replace a warm air mass.

• Stationary Front

  • A boundary between a cold air mass and a warm air mass that is not moving.

• Occluded Front

  • A boundary between one warm air mass and two cold air masses, in which the warm air mass is pushed above the two cold air masses.

• Low Pressure System

  • An area within the atmosphere where air is rising and winds blow toward the center.

• High Pressure System

  • An area within the atmosphere where air is sinking and winds blow away from the center.

• Isobar

  • A line on a weather map that connects places that have the same air pressure.

Summary of Concepts

• Air Masses

  • Characterized by homogenous temperature and humidity properties influencing local weather.

• Fronts

  • The boundaries at which different air masses meet, leading to various weather phenomena:

  • Warm Fronts

    • Typically bring gradual temperature increases and overcast skies.

  • Cold Fronts

    • Often associated with sudden temperature drops and thunderstorms.

  • Stationary Fronts

    • Can lead to prolonged periods of precipitation in the same area.

  • Occluded Fronts

    • Often signal a change in the weather, presenting complex systems due to the mixing of warm and cold air masses.

• Pressure Systems

  • Low pressure systems indicate rising air and often lead to stormy weather, whereas high pressure systems indicate descending air leading to clearer skies.