Draw a picture of the fronts symbols & what is occurring Understanding Fronts Draw a picture of the fronts symbols & what is occurring Copy the notes in red

Air Masses An air mass is a large body of air with very similar temperature & humidity. Air masses are named based on the region where it develops

Types of Air Masses Polar continental – cold and dry air mass Temperature Humidity Polar (cold) Continental (dry) Tropical (warm) Maritime (humid) Polar continental – cold and dry air mass Polar maritime – cold and wet air mass Tropical continental – warm and dry air mass Tropical maritime – warm and wet air mass

What is a Front? Definition: where two air masses meet

Types of Fronts Cold Warm Stationary Occluded

Cold Front When cold air pushes warm air back Draw this symbol! When cold air pushes warm air back Marked on a map with a blue line and triangles pointing towards the warm air. Brings thunderstorms – then cooler air

Cold Front Simple 3-D idea: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html

Cold Front http://www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com/images/cold-front.gif

Cold Front An animation: Draw this diagram!

Warm Front When warm air pushes cold air back Draw this symbol! When warm air pushes cold air back Marked on a map by a red line with red semi-circles pointed towards the cool air (in the direction the warm air is moving.) Brings stratus type clouds, and rain or snow.

Warm Front Simple 3-D idea: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html

Warm Front http://www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com/images/warm-front.gif

Warm Front An animation: Draw this diagram!

Stationary Front Draw this symbol! When two air masses meet, but stay mostly still (Neither is pushing the other back) Marked by alternating blue lines & triangles and red lines & semi-circles Brings rainy weather

Occluded Front Signals a fast approaching cold front (very cold air meets cold air) Marked by a purple line with alternating triangles and semi-circles pointing in the direction of the frontal movement. Steady rain, then colder weather.

Occluded Front Simple 3-D idea: Draw this diagram! http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html

Occluded Front http://www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com/images/occluded-front.gif

Journal Questions What are the four types of air masses? (think humidity and temperature) What type of air mass do you think would develop over Alaska? (Hint: two words) What type of air mass do you think would develop over the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii? (Hint: two words)

Journal Questions cont. 4. What type of front occurs when warm air pushes back cold air? 5. What type of front is associated with thunderstorms and then cooler weather. 6. Label the four symbols for the four types of fronts.