Air Masses and Fronts

AIR MASSES:
Air masses are massive or extensive bodies of air with identical/uniform characteristics of
pressure, temperature and humidity at any given altitude.
These air masses change the weather and can carry pollutants over thousands of miles to
other parts of the Earth, for example the Saharan Dust.
The main types of air masses:
The figure above shows air masses affecting North America and the Caribbean.
Some pollutants transported by air masses:

● Industrial gases- carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide from the
industrial processes may dissolve in rainwater and oceans forming acid (acid rain)
which may cause negative effects on plant and animal life. In addition, these gases are
responsible for the greenhouse effect.
● Landfill fumes- contains greenhouse gases such as methane which leads to global
warming.
● Particular matter- smoke and dust affecting the plants by covering the leaves and
reducing photosynthesis. Also, volcanic ash and desert dust (Saharan dust).
● Radioactive material- from nuclear explosion and may travel far to affect all forms
of life, for example Chernobyl explosion in Ukraine
QUESTIONS:
No. Question Answer

1
3
LOCAL FRONTS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON WEATHER:
A front is a boundary or transition zone formed where air masses of different temperatures
meet.
At a front, the warm, less dense air rises above the cooler air. If the rising air is humid, its
water vapour may condense as it cools to produce rain.
Fronts and their symbols (weather map symbols)
COLD FRONTS:
A cold front is the boundary where a cold air mass advances into a warm air mass.
During the winters of the northern hemisphere, cold air masses from the USA dive into the
warm, moist tropical air masses of the Caribbean, forcing the tropical air masses upwards
with a sharp incline.
WARM FRONTS:
A warm front is the boundary where a warm air mass advances towards a cold air mass.
As warm air masses advance towards cooler ones, they glide over them producing fronts of a
gentle incline.
Comparing the weather with cold and warm fronts
COLD FRONT WARM FRONT
ACTION Cold air mass plunges into Warm tropical air mass glides over
warm tropical air mass cold air mass
GRADIENT AT Steep Gentle
BOUNDARY
TEMPERATURE Cooler Warmer
CLOUDS Vertical Cumulonimbus Horizontal stratus-type
SHOWERS Brief, intense showers, Continuous, light to moderate
possible thunderstorms at the showers ahead of the front- can be up
front to a few days.
REGION Small Large
AFFECTED
FRONTAL Fast Slow
SPEED
STATIONARY FRONTS:
A stationary front occurs at the boundary between two air masses of different temperatures
when neither air mass can displace the other.
Weather at the stationary front is normally clear to partly cloudy, but if there is moisture,
there can be light or heavy rain which may fall for long periods until the front moves again.
Winds blowing parallel to the front help to keep it stationary. If the wind direction changes,
the front can begin to move again, becoming a cold front or a warm front depending on which
air mass advances against the other.
OCCLUDED FRONTS:
An occluded front occurs where a fast-moving cold front catches up with a warm front
travelling in almost the same direction, raising the warm air between them upwards and off
the ground.
Cold fronts advance faster than warm fronts. The cold air mass plunges into the warm air,
squeezing it onto the cool air ahead of the warm front.
The warm air rises steeply at the cold front and more gently at the warm front, producing
cumulonimbus and stratus clouds, respectively.
The cold front catches up with the warm front, forcing the hot air mass off the ground and
producing major precipitation. This is the last stage of the storm since the hot air has now all
been lifted.
When the cold front catches up with the warm front, an occluded front is formed, and they
move together.
Remember that winds in the northern hemisphere blow anticlockwise around a low-pressure
centre.
Videos to watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBz3fwXX64A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZauEoUmQbYo
QUESTIONS:
No Question Ans
1
4 June 1993/2004
Which kind of front is associated with a rapid fall in air pressure?
A. Cold
B. Occluded
C. Stationary
D. Warm
5. June 1999/ 2001
Which of the following is NOT charateristic of a cold front?
A. Slow fall in pressure
B. Deep dense clouds
C. Heavy thunderstorms
D. Decrease in temperature
6. June 2013
The boundary fromed by themeeting of two air masses is called a
A. Zone
B. Front
C. Cloud mass
D. Storm surge
June 2005 P2 No. 6
(a) (i) Detecting and analysing the paths of “fronts” is important for predicting the
weather. What is a front? (1 mark)
(ii) Four types of fronts are described in Table 3 (occluded, stationary, warm and cold
fronts). Complete the table by writing the correct type of front in the empty cell next
to its proper description. (4 marks)
TABLE 3: FOUR TYPESOF FRONTS
FRONT DESCRIPTION
When cold air comes into a region of warm air and
displaces it
When warm air comes into a region of cold air and
displaces it.
When a cold front overtakes a warm front.
When a cold front warms up so that there is no

temperature difference between the cold and warm air.
(iii) A cold front is passing through the Caribbean and a warm front is passing over
the U.S.A. Predict the weather in these two areas. (4 marks)
The Caribbean-
The U.S.A-

Air Masses and Fronts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Air Masses and Fronts

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Air Masses and Fronts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

AIR MASSES:

The main types of air masses:

Some pollutants transported by air masses:

No. Question Answer

Fronts and their symbols (weather map symbols)

TABLE 3: FOUR TYPESOF FRONTS

When a cold front warms up so that there is no

You might also like