Air Masses and Fronts
By: Bailey Trautman
Air Masses
An air mass is a large pocket of air. There are three main details that makes an air mass an air mass. First it must be large it has to be more than 1,000 miles of distance. Second an air mass must have a consistent temperature, humidity, and stability relatively in any point in the air mass.Third an air mass must travel as one whole unit. There are 5 different types of air masses. The first type of air mass is continental polar this type of air mass is dry and cold. Next you have continental tropical this air mass is dry and warm. The third air mass is maritime polar this air mass is cold and wet. The fourth air mass is maritime tropical which is wet and warm. And the last air mass is continental arctic this air mass is dry and extremely cold.
Link for picture: http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/rst/Sect14/Sect14_1b.html
Fronts
Fronts are what is between two air masses when they are moving. There are two types of fronts. The first is a cold front which is cold. The second is a warm front which is warm. A cold front is represented on a map as a solid blue line with triangles pointed where the front is moving. A warm front is represented on a map as a solid red line with semi circles facing in the direction the front is moving.
Air Masses
These are the air masses.
Cold Fronts
This is a cold front represented on a map.
Site: http://chiliweb.southalabama.edu/education/index.php?page=weatherfronts
Warm Fronts
This is a warm front represented on a map.
Site: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/af/frnts/wfrnt/def.rxml