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Air Masses

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Air Masses & Fronts Types of Air Masses – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Air Masses


1
Air Masses Fronts
  • Types of Air Masses

2
Air Masses
3
Humidity
  • Determined by the region an AIR MASS forms over
  • If the AIR MASS forms over an ocean or large
    lake, it will be humid (maritime)
  • If the AIR MASS forms over a land area, it will
    be dry (continental)

4
Temperature
  • If the AIR MASS forms at or near the equator, it
    will be warm (tropical)
  • If the AIR MASS forms at or near the North or
    South Pole, it will be cold (polar)

5
Polar Air Masses
  • Cold, dense air has a higher air pressure
  • Have high air pressure
  • Are dense
  • Usually dry because cold air cannot hold a lot of
    moisture

6
Tropical Air Masses
  • Warm, less dense air has a lower air pressure
  • Are less dense than polar air masses
  • Have low air pressure
  • Usually humid because warm air can hold more
    moisture than cold air

7
Connecticut Weather
  • Influenced by maritime and tropical air masses
    that form over the Gulf of Mexico and the
    Atlantic Ocean
  • Also, influenced by continental polar air masses
    from central and northern Canada which bring cold
    air to New England
  • Weather along Long Island Sound usually more
    temperate because of our proximity to this large
    body of water

8
Movement of Air Masses
  • When an air mass moves into an area it interacts
    with other air masses causes the weather to
    change
  • Air masses generally move WEST to EAST helped by
    the jet stream
  • When 2 air masses meet, they do not mix easily
  • The boundary where air masses meet is called a
    FRONT
  • Storms and unsettled weather develop along FRONTS

9
Types of Fronts
  • Cold Front moves rapidly
  • Warm Front moves slowly
  • Stationary Front doesnt move
  • Occluded Front

10
Cold Front
  • FAST cold air mass runs into SLOW warm air mass
  • Cold air is dense sinks
  • Warm air is less dense rises
  • Warm air is pushed UP

11
Cold Front
  • Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air so
    clouds form
  • Rain or snow may occur
  • Cold fronts tend to move rapidly
  • After they pass, cold, dry air moves in often
    accompanied by clear skies, a wind shift and
    cooler temperatures

12
Warm Front
  • FAST warm air mass overtakes a SLOW cold air mass
  • Warm air moves atop cold air
  • If the warm air mass is humid, light rain, snow
    will fall
  • If the warm air mass is dry, cloudy weather occurs

13
Warm Front
  • Warm air fronts generally move slowly
  • The weather may be rainy or snowy for several
    days
  • After the warm front passes the weather will be
    warmer and more humid

14
Stationary Front
  • Occurs when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass
  • The air masses are at a standoff
  • Rain, snow, fog, clouds happen for long periods

15
Occluded Front
  • Happens when a warm air mass is trapped between
    two cooler air masses
  • Complex weather system

16
High and Low Pressure Areas
  • HIGH pressure is usually accompanied by dry,
    clear weather
  • LOW pressure is usually accompanied with clouds,
    wind, precipitation
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